Compton strikes again in Zolder

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For the second time in a less than a week American champion Katie Compton (Trek Cyclocross Collective) beat world champion Marianne Vos (Rabobank Liv/Giant) in World Cup races on Belgian soil. At today's dry, fast fifth round of the World Cup at the car racing circuit of Terlaemen in Zolder, the 35-year-old American overcame a bad start but coolly chased down and overtook the leading duo of Vos and Belgian champion Sanne Cant (Enertherm-BKCP) halfway through the five-lap race.

After taking a moment to catch her breath, Compton went on the attack with first Cant then Vos unable to keep the pace. Compton would solo to her fourth straight World Cup win of the season, with Vos and Cant rounding out the podium in second and third respectively.

Compton, the defending World Cup champion, also extended her lead in this season's World Cup standings over British champion Nikki Harris (Young Telenet-Fidea), fourth on the day, to a huge gap of 65 points. Cant remains in third overall, 104 points in arrears.

It’s becoming a habit for Compton to get off to a slow start. Just like her start at the previous World Cup round in Namur last week, she had a lot of work to do after the first corners in Zolder. In front, Marianne Vos didn’t waste time and she powered away with Sanne Cant, while Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (BH-SR Suntour-KMC) quickly found out that their pace was too fast for her to keep up.

After the first of five laps the Vos/Cant duo had a lead of 16 seconds over Chainel. A few seconds later Compton was in hot pursuit of the French rider while Harris led a large group half a minute behind the two leaders. During the second lap Compton left Chainel behind and it quickly became obvious that Compton was going much faster than the leaders on the fast course. Halfway through the race Compton joined the leaders and she used her momentum to keep going. Cant was unable to keep up with Compton while Vos sat on the Belgian champion's wheel, needing some time as well to respond to Compton's attack. Nevertheless, the world champion came back in style and the duo of Compton and Vos hit the penultimate lap together with Cant trailing by a handful of seconds.

In the twisting corners of the forest around the car circuit Compton left Vos behind. The difference was made after a sharp corner with a short uphill section right after it where Compton simply overpowered Vos. The world champion had to shift back while World Cup leader Compton kept her pace steadily high in the closing two laps.

Compton would win by 20 seconds over Vos and 57 seconds over Cant while Harris prevailed in the tight battle for fourth place ahead of Chainel, 1:29 back.

With two World Cup rounds remaining Compton is firmly in control of the overall standings. If the American can maintain her 65-point advantage over Harris after the penultimate round in Rome, Italy on January 5 than her overall lead will be insurmountable, enabling Compton to skip the final round in Nommay, France, to focus on the world championship on February 1, 2014.