American women one-two in penultimate cyclocross World Cup

On Sunday, American champion Katie Compton dominated the eighth UCI cyclocross World Cup race of the season, winning her first World Cup contest of 2017-2018. Thrilling young rider Kaitlin Keough made it an American one-two, her fourth World Cup podium of the season.

Your @WideAnglePodium membership continues to pay dividends. Another a great day for @KatieFnCompton!!!! pic.twitter.com/1eajKP3Lda

— Bill Schieken | CXHAIRS Media (@CXHairs) January 21, 2018

Belgian world champion and World Cup leader Sanne Cant had won three of the last four rounds and four out of seven. The course was muddy, keeping the mechanics very busy, and featured an early staircase.

Call up time for the Elite Women in #Nommay.
If the last #TelenetUCICXWC rounds are anything to go by, we are in for a treat.
Let's get ready to race! pic.twitter.com/MFqX7yMvO1

— UCI Cyclocross (@UCI_CX) January 21, 2018

A great mob clomped up the staircase after the starting gun. Compton grabbed an early lead. Canadian Siobhan Kelly got her handlebars tangled up in the barriers. Italian Alice Arzuffi was Compton’s closest pursuer on Lap 1, with Brit Helen Wyman close on her heels. Cant was lagging behind and then suffered a mechanical.

Compton’s first lap was 9:00, with Arzuffi 18-seconds behind. Most riders took a new bike from the pits. Ruby West was top Canadian in 24th. On Lap 2 of 5, American Keough began to move up on Arzuffi. Arzuffi was 32-seconds behind after two circuits. Maghalie Rochette took over from West as top Canadian in 24th.

Keough assumed second spot from Arzuffi as Compton kept increasing her lead. French favourite Pauline Ferrand Prevot picked her way through the field on Lap 3 to begin to threaten for a podium place. Rochette was 19th after the third lap.

At the beginning of Lap 4, Luxembourger Christine Marjerus took over the last podium spot and Arzuffi began to sift down through the field. A crash for Wyman threatened her podium chances. After Lap 4 it was apparent that six instead of five laps should have been the number for the women’s contest.

With both Compton and Keough far ahead, a quartet was in hot battle for the last step on the podium. It was Ferrand Prevot prevailing after edging ahead on the last lap. Maghalie Rochette was top Canadian in 18th.

Compton was second in the Heusden-Zolder round on Boxing Day. Keough keeps second place behind Cant in the World Cup standings.

2nd in the @UCI_cycling rankings, 2nd in the @UCI_CX World Cup standings and, today, 2nd at the Nommay World Cup for @kaitiekeough ??. What a ride from The Little Badger! Her incredible season continues with her 4th World Cup podium! pic.twitter.com/YxnNDDjOOD

— Cannondale/CXWorld (@CdaleCXWorld) January 21, 2018

The final World Cup is next Sunday in Hoogerheide, the Netherlands.

UCI Cyclocross World Cup Round 8, Nommay, France, Elite Women
1) Katie Compton (USA) 45:03
2) Kaitlin Keough (USA/Cylance Pro Cycling) +0:55
3) Pauline Ferrand Prevot (France/Canyon-SRAM) +1:20
18) Maghalie Rochette (Canada) +3:33
32) Christel Ferrier Bruneau (Canada) +5:37
33) Ruby West (Canada) +5:50
45) Magdeleine Vallieres Mill (Canada) +8:56
50) Siobhan Kelly (Canada)