Compton top in Hoogerheide

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US champion Katie Compton (Planetbike) captured her fifth World Cup win of the season in Hoogerheide, The Netherlands. One week ahead of the world championships Compton gave the opposition a blow by accelerating away halfway the race. The overall win in the World Cup went to Sanne van Paassen (Brainwash), as Compton skipped two World Cup rounds.

Despite missing out on the overall win, Compton was pleased with her result on Sunday afternoon. “I didn't have a good start and early on my timing was off. For some reason I'm getting good at relaxing during the race and choosing to go when I want to go. Once alone in front I felt good although I made some mistakes during the last lap,” Compton told Cyclingnews.

While Compton was still struggling to get the right sensations on the bike, Marianne Vos (Nederland Bloeit) wasn't wasting time in front. Vos powered away on the muddy course with Hanka Kupfernagel (Germany) showing top form as she quickly took over the lead from the world champion. The duo was marked first by Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (France) and then also by Compton and Belgian champion Sanne Cant (BKCP-Powerplus). Another acceleration from Vos and Kupfernagel put the rest of the group in difficulty. Van Paassen and Cant quickly lost ground while Compton remained a short distance behind the two leaders during the second lap. Soon after tackling the start-finish line, Compton bridged back up to the two leaders and a little later she even took the lead. Behind her, Kupfernagel struggled on a slippery corner and the German champion rode into the fences. It offered Compton a small gap which she quickly developed into a lead of ten seconds.

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It took a while before Vos got past Kupfernagel, but then the world champion opened up the gas in an effort to get back to the US champion. “When Compton accelerated I was in the clinch with Hanka. Eventually I tried to close the gap on Katie but I quickly found out that I was at my limit. I felt good though,” Vos said.

By showing great technical skills in the muddy sections, Compton was able to open up the gap towards a comfortable 20 seconds with only one lap remaining. Kupfernagel bridged back up to Vos and the two would focus on second place rather than the win in Hoogerheide. Meanwhile, Compton rode on to her first win in Hoogerheide, despite making some mistakes in the final lap. “I hit a rut wrong, went wide and hit a barrier which probably explained why I lost five seconds,” Compton said.

Kupfernagel went on to drop Vos on the final lap and powered towards a morale-boosting second place one week ahead of the world championships on home soil. “I had a very strong day. I think Vos got a mental knock when I caught back up to her and that's probably why she couldn't follow me,” Kupfernagel said.

Nevertheless, Vos climbed from seventh to third place in the overall classification of the World Cup. “I'm surprised that I feature on the podium despite skipping the first three World Cup rounds,” Vos said.

Almost a minute behind winner Compton, Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team) and Sanne Van Paassen were battling for the remaining places in the top 5. A late crash from Nash decided the positions. In finishing fourth Van Paassen, maintained ten of her pre-race 30-point margin. “I'm very proud to win the World Cup but today I wasn't feeling great and I'm still feeling a bit sick,” Van Paassen said, referring to the illness that she has struggled with since the national championships two weeks ago. “I hope next week will be better.”

Nash quickly left the finish area as she was feeling nauseous. The US-based Nash flew across the pond only two days ago and said before the race that she hadn't slept a lot the night before. Cant, Ferrand-Prevot, Helen Wyman (Kona), Sophie de Boer (ZZPR.nl) and Sabine Spitz (Central Pro Team) claimed the remaining top 10 placings.

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