Kaptheijns continues winning ways at Ruddervoorde

Maud Kaptheijns celebrates as she crosses the line

Maud Kaptheijns celebrates as she crosses the line (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

Maud Kaptheijns (Crelan-Charles) made it four wins from four rounds at the Superprestige Ladies Trophy in Ruddervoorde. Lucinda Brand (Sunweb) finished second, one second back in the sprint finish, while Sanne Cant (Enertherm-BKCP) was three seconds down in third.

The race saw a return to the grass and mud of the last round in Boom, and a return to the familiar sight of Kaptheijns leading the way at the start. The Dutchwoman had suffered a cut to her left knee on Saturday, caused by her rear disc brake, but looked keen to prove it wasn't affecting her.

By the end of the opening lap an unfamiliar name had taken the lead. Brand, riding her first Superpres-tige race of the season, had gained a small gap on the chasing Cant.

And so emerged the themes of the day - the small time gaps, with nobody able to build a commanding lead, and the two riders who would battle out front for much of the race.

The nature of the technical course lent itself to close racing, with 40 corners, a mostly muddy surface and a sandy section all contributing to breaking any sustained momentum from an attacker.

On lap three it looked as though World Champion Cant had taken control. The Belgian led the chase group of Brand, Kaptheijns and Annemarie Worst (Era-Circus) by seven seconds at the end of it, and looked in good shape to extend that lead.

It wouldn't last though, as Brand made another move on the next lap to make it a lead duo. But with Kaptheijns and Worst chasing just a handful of seconds behind, it wasn't a surprise that things came back together on the final lap.

Cant and Brand broke away mid-lap, during the tightest and twistiest sections of the course. It looked as the two riders who had led for much of the race would decide it, but Kaptheijns and Worst just would not drop.

Approaching the final decisive sand section, the four were all together. Kaptheijns, who had ridden through the sand on the previous lap while the rest dismounted, once again looked the strongest. Worst fell away and Brand dropped as Kaptheijns made her move.

Cant managed to hang on, but suffered for her efforts in the final straight. Kaptheijns distanced her in the sprint for yet another victory, while Brand fought back to pass her just before the line to score an impressive second place.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Maud Kaptheijns (Ned) Crelan-Charles0:43:46
2Lucinda Brand (Ned) Team Sunweb0:00:01
3Sanne Cant (Bel) Beobank-Corendon Deprof0:00:03
4Annemarie Worst (Ned) Era Real Estate - Circus0:00:13
5Ellen Van Loy (Bel) Telenet Fidea Lions0:00:58
6Laura Verdonschot (Bel) Marlux - Napoleon Games Deprof0:01:00
7Kim Van De Steene (Bel) Tarteletto - IsorexRow 6 - Cell 2
8Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado (Ned) Kleur Op Maat - Bns Technics0:01:08
9Karen Verhestraeten (Bel) Donen/Vondelmolen Cx-Team0:01:21
10Fleur Nagengast (Ned) Telenet Fidea Lions0:01:34
11Elle Anderson (USA) Cycling.Be - Alphamotorhomes0:01:37
12Sophie De Boer (Ned) Breepark0:01:57
13Alice Maria Arzuffi (Ita) Steylaerts-Betfirst0:02:20
14Jolien Verschueren (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Vastgoedservice Deprof0:02:35
15Denise Betsema (Ned) Hr En Tc D.O.K0:02:47
16Geerte Hoeke (Ned) Wv Breda0:03:24
17Marthe Truyen (Bel) Aa-Drink Jongerenteam0:03:32
18Axelle Bellaert (Bel) Donen/Vondelmolen Cx-Team0:03:43
19Pauline Delhaye (Fra) Quick Mtb Racing Team0:03:49
20Fanny Stumpf (Fra) Team Peltrax Braquet Libre0:04:24
21Maïna Galand (Fra) Ec Landerneau0:04:34
22Laura Porhel (Fra) Telenet - Fidea Cycling Team0:04:46
23Pasquine Vandermouten (Fra) Club Cycliste Boulou0:05:03
24Jinse Peeters (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Vastgoedservice0:05:55
25Shana Maes (Bel) Donen/Vondelmolen Cx-Team0:06:05
26Natalie Redmond (Aus) Ozriders Cannondale Sram0:06:11
27Meg De Bruyne (Bel) Kleur Op Maat - Bns TechnicsRow 26 - Cell 2
28Tessa Zwaenepoel (Bel) Van Assche - VertronicsRow 27 - Cell 2
29Laure Michels (Bel) Cycling.Be - AlphamotorhomesRow 28 - Cell 2
30Oceane Allart (Fra) Sev VRow 29 - Cell 2
31Jo Blanchaert (Bel) IndividueelRow 30 - Cell 2
32Yasmine De Wulf (Bel) IndividueelRow 31 - Cell 2
DNFNikki Brammeier (GBr) Boels Dolmans CyclingteamRow 32 - Cell 2
DNFDidi De Vries (Ned) Van Assche - VertronicsRow 33 - Cell 2

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Daniel Ostanek
Production editor

Daniel Ostanek is production editor at Cyclingnews, having joined in 2017 as a freelance contributor and later being hired as staff writer. Prior to joining the team, he had written for most major publications in the cycling world, including CyclingWeekly, Rouleur, and CyclingTips.

 

Daniel has reported from the world's top races, including the Tour de France and the spring Classics, and has interviewed many of the sport's biggest stars, including Wout van Aert, Remco Evenepoel, Demi Vollering, and Anna van der Breggen.

 

As well as original reporting, news and feature writing, and production work, Daniel also runs The Leadout newsletter and oversees How to Watch guides throughout the season. His favourite races are Strade Bianche and the Volta a Portugal, and he rides a Colnago C40.

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