The cyclo-cross classic in Overijse was won by in-form Sanne Cant (Enertherm-BKCP) on a cold and wet Sunday afternoon. The European and Belgian champion was gapped by French champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team) on the slippery, challenging course but she bounced back in the final lap. It was her 14th win of the season.
Sophie de Boer (Kalas-NNOF) was third at long distance back in the Grapescross or ‘Mother of all crosses’ as it’s referred to in Belgium.
“I’m pleased with yet another win. It was a good battle but a weird scenario. Before the race the course was frozen but due to the rain it turned around every lap. I think I had most left in my legs in the final lap, which made the difference,” Cant told Sport.be.
Straight from the start Cant and Ferrand-Prévot featured in front of the race. At first they were accompanied by De Boer and Ellen Van Loy (Young Telenet-Fidea). The latter led the first part of the race but was then set back with a mechanical. De Boer faded halfway through the race, which led to a French-Belgian duel.
Ferrand-Prévot surprised during the penultimate lap. On the technical course she managed to gap the nearly unbeatable European champion, hitting the final lap with a small lead. Cant fought back with a strong passage through a long muddy section, overtaking her French rival.
Cant clearly had most left in her tank and rode away towards yet another victory. With Ferrand-Prévot second and De Boer third the podium, it was the same podium as in the GP Hasselt, the fourth round of the Bpost Bank Trophy on Saturday.
Last year American rider Katie Compton (Trek Factory Team) won in Overijse but she didn’t take the start line in this edition.
Results
| # | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sanne Cant (Bel) Enertherm - BKCP | 0:42:26 |
| 2 | Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) Rabobank Women Team | 0:00:05 |
| 3 | Sophie De Boer (Ned) Kalas-NNOF Cycling Team | 0:01:09 |
| 4 | Ellen Van Loy (Bel) VZW Young Telenet Fidea Cycling Team | 0:01:56 |
| 5 | Pavla Havlikova (Cze) VZW Young Telenet Fidea Cycling Team | 0:02:04 |
| 6 | Jolien Verschueren (Bel) Wielerteam Decock-Woningbouw Vandekerckhove | 0:02:09 |
| 7 | Kaitlin Antonneau (USA) | 0:02:15 |
| 8 | Karen Verhestraeten (Bel) Kleur Op Maat cyclingteam | 0:02:37 |
| 9 | Elle Anderson (USA) Kalas-NNOF Cycling Team | 0:03:32 |
| 10 | Katrien Thijs (Bel) Kleur Op Maat cyclingteam | 0:04:13 |
| 11 | Maud Kaptheijns (Ned) AA Drink-B.R.I.S. Cycling Team | 0:04:21 |
| 12 | Bianca Van Den Hoek (Ned) | 0:04:50 |
| 13 | Hannah Payton (GBr) | 0:05:10 |
| 14 | Femke Van Den Driessche (Bel) VZW Lotto-Ladiescycling | 0:05:32 |
| 15 | Cindy Bauwens (Bel) | 0:05:54 |
| 16 | Mercedes Pacios Pujado (Spa) | 0:06:30 |
| 17 | Lindy Van Anrooij (Ned) | 0:06:51 |
| 18 | Christine Vardaros | 0:07:51 |
| 19 | Kim Van De Steene (Bel) Afdeling Oost-Vlaanderen WBV - VZW | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
| 20 | Lotte Eikelenboom (Ned) AA Drink-B.R.I.S. Cycling Team | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
| 21 | Jessika Timmermans (Bel) Hageland Cycling Team | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
| 22 | Cindy Diericx (Bel) Coolens Cycling Team | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
| 23 | Joyce Vanderbeken (Bel) Wielerteam Decock-Woningbouw Vandekerckhove | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
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