Compton wins women's Jingle Cross World Cup

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Katie Compton dominated the second round the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup at Jingle Cross riding away from a strong field to take a convincing victory, in what was a short 37-minute race. The American left Frenchwoman Caroline Mani and US compatriot Kaitlin Antonneau to battle it out for second and third, respectively. Compton's win was enough to bump her up into the overall World Cup lead.

"It was really hard today and the heat wore on me toward the end," said Compton, who plans to only race half the World Cup this season in favour of a solid performance at the World Championships. "It was hard for me to stay off the front. I tried to keep the pressure on, stay smooth and it went well for me."

Hometown rider Amanda Miller started the race in the lead, and led the riders through the sandpit, over the bridge and through to the first climb. The riders stayed in a long line over the lengthy, dry grassy climb – Mt. Krumpit.

Katerina Nash (Luna) took the front on the descent and led Katie Compton (Trek), Miller and Olympic mountain bike bronze medallist Catherine Pendrel (Luna) over the barriers.

Compton took the lead from Nash on the second half of the first circuit, over the stairs and into the second lap. Nash held Compton’s quick pace, but a chase group formed that included Pendrel, U23 US champion Ellen Noble and Caroline Mani (Raleigh).

Four merged together on the run-up as the riders shouldered their bike with Compton, Pendrel, Mani and Nash.

Sophie De Boer, who won the first World Cup at Cross Vegas, tried desperately to bridge across to the four leaders on the run-up, but the gaps opened further apart as the race progressed into the third lap. Kaitlin Antonneau (Cannondale), who had a slower start, managed to smoothly race through the circuit and make up time on the leaders.

Back on Mt. Krumpit for the second time, Compton continued to push a big gear over the grass as riders struggled behind. But Compton and Nash kept stretching the elastic band, forcing Mani and Pendrel to close small gaps.

By the start of the third lap, Nash began taking turns on the front, trading off the workload with Compton as the pair gained a substantial gap. Unfortunately, Nash had a mechanical and was forced to run to the pit, which was close by, but that gave Compton the clear advantage, now ahead of Pendrel and Mani.

On the steep run-up, again, Compton lost some time and it looked as though Mani, Pendrel, Nash and Antonneau were close to connecting with the leader, but the US champion muscled her way over the top and quickly remounted for the descent to re-establish a strong 10-second lead.

Compton had a winning advantage as she orbited the last of four lap, leaving no doubt as to who was the strongest rider on the day, as Mani had to struggle to keep the gap on a chasing Antonneau.

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