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Cant takes Superprestige Diegem win

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Ferrand Prevot and Kaptheijns round out the podium

Sanne Cant (Beobank-Corendon)

Sanne Cant (Beobank-Corendon) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

World Champion Sanne Cant (Beobank-Corendon) won a floodlit edition of the Superprestige Ladies Trophy in Diegem, her first victory in the series this season. A tight race for second saw Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Canyon-SRAM) prevail, finishing 21 seconds back. Maud Kaptheijns (Crelan-Charles) finished third at 35 seconds.

Diegem was a special race in more ways than one. Firstly, it was a standalone, being seven weeks since the last round in Gavere and six until the penultimate round in Hoogstraten. It was also the only evening race on the calendar, and the first this year to welcome cycling stars Marianne Vos (WaowDeals) and Ferrand-Prevot (Canyon-SRAM).

A bigger story, though, was the fight for the overall title, with Cant (62 points) trailing close behind Kaptheijns (64) going into the round. After Kaptheijns’ 12th place in Gavere, the rankings were blown wide open, despite her winning the opening four Superprestige rounds.

It looked as though the Dutchwoman had a point to prove at the start, going out hard in the mud in order to thin the field. A select chasing group soon formed, consisting of Cant, Ferrand-Prevot, Vos, Annemarie Worst (Era-Circus) and Laura Verdonschot (Marlux-Napoleon Games).

In contrast to her earlier dominant displays this season, Kaptheijns didn't stay away but was quickly brought back. She looked among the strongest, though, riding at the front in the mud and stringing out the group at the end of the first lap.

Not long after she was off the front again, accompanied by Cant, and then on the uphill road section by Ferrand-Prevot. Verdonschot gave chase, but the lead trio enjoyed a 10-second gap at the end of lap two, a lead which would only increase.

The race's decisive move came in the sand on lap three as Cant pushed the pace. Kaptheijns was gapped, and just in front of her Ferrand-Prevot had to dismount and run; it was game over.

Cant eked out a lead metre by metre, ensuring an impressive victory, while Ferrand-Prevot stuck with Kaptheijns until the road section on the final lap. The Crelan-Charles rider had no answers, and so the podium was set.

As for the overall rankings, Cant and Kaptheijns are now tied on 77 points ahead of the final two rounds. The Superprestige Ladies Trophy will resume in mid-February.

Full Results

#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Sanne Cant (Bel) Corendon-Circus0:48:22
2Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) Canyon-SRAM0:00:21
3Maud Kaptheijns (Ned) Crelan-Charles0:00:35
4Laura Verdonschot (Bel) Marlux-Napoleon Games0:01:08
5Nikki Brammeier (GBr)0:01:20
6Elle Anderson (USA)0:01:32
7Jolien Verschueren (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Vastgoedservice0:01:33
8Annemarie Worst (Ned) Era-Circus0:01:51
9Marianne Vos (Ned)0:01:58
10Inge Van Der Heijden (Ned)0:02:17
11Alice Maria Arzuffi (Ita) Steylaerts-Betfirst0:02:36
12Nikola Nosková (Cze)0:02:58
13Christel Ferrier Bruneau (Can)0:03:14
14Anne Terpstra (Ned)0:03:38
15Ellen Van Loy (Bel) Telenet Fidea Lions0:03:55
16Karen Verhestraeten (Bel)0:04:02
17Sunny Gilbert (USA)0:04:18
18Anna Kay (GBr)0:04:28
19Joyce Vanderbeken (Bel)0:04:33
20Fleur Nagengast (Ned) Telenet Fidea Lions0:04:37
21Bethany Crumpton (GBr)0:04:43
22Adéla Šafárová (Cze)0:04:47
23Marthe Truyen (Bel)0:05:56
24Alessia Bulleri (Ita)0:06:01
25Pauline Delhaye (Fra)0:06:05
26Axelle Bellaert (Bel)0:06:10
27Veerle Goossens (Ned)0:06:12
28Susanne Meistrok (Ned)0:06:21
29Ida Jansson (Swe)0:06:24
30Magdeleine Vallieres Mill (Can)0:06:53
31Harriet Harnden (GBr)0:07:01
32Magdalena Mišonová (Cze)0:07:30
33Ida Erngren (Swe)0:07:48
34Laura Van Der Zwaan (Ned)0:07:55
35Shana Maes (Bel)0:08:08
36Tereza Vanícková (Cze)0:08:37
37Irene Gerritsen (Ned)0:09:11
38Kata Blanka Vas (Hun)0:09:21
39Asia Zontone (Ita)0:09:25
40Rozemarijn Ammerlaan (Ned)0:09:37
41Camille Pierre (Fra) Corendon - Circus0:09:43
42Kamila Janu (Cze)0:10:26
43Tessa Zwaenepoel (Bel) Crelan-Charles0:11:06
44Aurelie Vermeir (Bel) Marlux-Napoleon Games0:11:36
LapAxelle Dubau Prevot (Fra)
LapCorey Coogan Cisek (USA)
LapStacey Riedel (Aus) Pauwels Sauzen-Vastgoedservice
LapCaren Commissaris (Bel) Era-Circus
LapNatalie Tapias (USA)
LapJulia Nikolopoulos (Ger)
LapHelena Coney (Can) Steylaerts-Betfirst
LapSiobhan Kelly (Can)
LapSophie Thackray (GBr)
LapLucie Delecourt (Fra)
LapJo Blanchaert (Bel) Telenet Fidea Lions
LapJennifer Forrester (GBr)
LapErin Mitchell (Aus)
LapBéatrice Godart (Lux)
LapSarah Berkane (Fra)
DNFMaaike De Heij (Ned) Telenet Fidea Lions
DNFDenise Betsema (Ned)
DNFJana Dobbelaere (Bel)
DNFYara Kastelijn (Ned)
DNFJoelle Delhaes (Bel)
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Daniel Ostanek
Daniel Ostanek

Daniel Ostanek has been a staff writer at Cyclingnews since August 2019, having joined in 2017 as a freelance contributor and later part-time production editor. Before Cyclingnews, he was published in numerous publications around the cycling world, including Procycling, CyclingWeekly, CyclingTips, Cyclist, and Rouleur, among others. As well as reporting and writing news, Daniel runs the 'How to watch' content on Cyclingnews and takes on live race text coverage throughout the season.


Daniel has reported from the world's top races, including the Tour de France, and has interviewed a number of the sport's biggest stars, including Egan Bernal, Wout van Aert, Remco Evenepoel, Mark Cavendish, and Anna van der Breggen. Daniel rides a 2002 Landbouwkrediet Colnago C40 and his favourite races are Tro-Bro Léon, Strade Bianche, and the Vuelta a España.

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