Vos claims first win of cyclo-cross comeback campaign in Diegem

Seven-fold cyclo-cross world champion Marianne Vos (Rabo-Liv) captured a first win after her comeback. At the night-time cross in Diegem, Belgium, Vos rode away from UCI-leader Sanne Cant (IKO Enertherm-Beobank) in the sand during the penultimate lap to capture the win. Cant finished as runner-up in the sixth round and remains leader in the Superprestige Ladies Trophy. Katerina Nash (CLIF) finished third.

After finishing fourth in Antwerp last week, Vos was delighted to captured the victory in only her second race. "Of course I'm delighted with the win so soon after my comeback to cyclo-cross. The start was already promising with a fourth place but riding for the victory is great of course," Vos told Telenet Play Sports. "The world championships? That's a while away. I'm glad I rode well today. There's a few riders who'll improve during these Christmas weeks and I hope to do so as well."

The women in Diegem rode five laps on the fast course on the outskirts of Brussels. Quite soon after the start an off-camber section featured as one of the key obstacles. Later on, the undulating course and a sand section created more gaps.

For Vos who started from the back row, the off-camber section was a problem during the opening lap. "I was boxed in during the start and then it's a matter of pushing around for your position, for everybody. Then you reach the off-camber section where things didn't go smooth. It was chaos for everybody. In the distance the first riders were riding away," Vos said.

The riders in front were Nikki Brammeier (Boels-Dolmans) and Sanne Cant. For Sophie de Boer (Kalas-NNOF) the off-camber section proved to be critical. She tried to move into the lead at the bottom but when leader Christine Majerus (Boels-Dolmans) lost grip and slid out, the duo collided with De Boer crashing spectacularly over a pole.

Cant didn't want to take risks, and she accelerated on her favourite terrain, the sand section. On the third lap Cant looked back and noticed that only Brammeier, Vos and Nash were able to get back. When Vos took over the command and put in a major acceleration, she quickly pulled Cant and Nash 10 seconds ahead of the chase which included Alice Maria Arzuffi, Lucinda Brand and Brammeier.

During the fourth lap Vos kept the pace high, putting both Nash and Cant in trouble. Cant came back first while Nash had to wait for a cease-fire in front on the road to bridge back up.

"They picked up the pace close to the end of the race and I just had to maintain myself," Nash told Telenet Play Sports. Once caught, Vos upped the pace again. By the time the three leaders reached the sand section Cant and Nash were on their limit. Vos pulled off a flawless sand passage while Cant struggled on her own terrain. It turned to be the decisive moment in the race.

"I really can't lose the race there. It's really sad. [...] Physically we were all riding on our limit and when you're tired you make mistakes," Cant said. "I hoped to bridge back up but it was very hard; it didn't work out."

Cant bowed but didn't give in, forcing Vos to keep working hard for her money. In a muddy section with a 90-degree corner preceding the steps to the finishing straight the duo was no more than five seconds apart. Vos took no risk and ran the section. Behind her Cant struggled and tumbled into the mud.

"It was a fast course but there were few places where one was able to recover. Once you pull hard continuously for a few sections then you can make the difference. I have to say, Sanne didn't make it easy for me," Vos said.

A delighted Vos crossed the line 18 seconds ahead of Cant. Nash was third at 34 seconds. "It's been a good run for me in Belgium. I'm going to have a quick dinner with my parent in the Czech Republic tomorrow and then come back for the World Cup on Monday," Nash said.

In the general classification Cant comfortably leads with 87 points. Elle Van Loy (Young Telenet-Fidea) didn't race in Diegem due to illness but she remains in second place with 57 points. Verdonschot and Arzuffi share third place with 49 points.

Next up are the World Cup round in Heusden-Zolder on Boxing Day. The next round in the Superprestige Ladies Trophy is held only on the 5th of February in Hoogstraten.

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