Cant and van der Poel win round five of the cyclocross World Cup in Heusden-Zolder

Sanne Cant (Belgium) edged out American Katie Compton to take her second 2015-2016 UCI cyclocross World Cup win on Saturday in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium. In the men’s race Mathieu van der Poel (The Netherlands) prevailed in the fifth of seven rounds on what will be late-January’s World Championship course, his second World Cup victory in a row.

Cant and Compton were the two strongest for the length of the race, but Compton couldn’t match Cant’s dig in the finale. The triumph takes Cant back to the top of the World Cup standings over Eva Lechner (Italy), who crashed while she was in a powerful leading quartet of Cant, Compton and third place Ellen van Loy (Belgium).

Love Sanne Cant's expression as she realizes the win in Heusden-Zolder is hers pic.twitter.com/Vt9eEboq7j

— Mary Topping (@butterflywriter) December 26, 2015

Canadian champion Mical Dyck came 33rd and Annie Schappert placed 56th.

Tim Merlier (Belgium) and Clément Venturini (France) led the men’s pack early on Lap 1, though another Belgian, Michael Vanthourenhout, led over the line. The three formed a leading group, with a long serpent of top names formed behind. The trio carried on ahead, but by the sandy run-up, world champion Mathieu van der Poel had brought over three chasers close on its heels.

On Lap 3 European champion Lars van der Haar (The Netherlands) pressed the pace with van der Poel in second. The Dutchmen separated themselves, but Kevin Pauwels (Belgium) fought his way to them by the end of the fourth circuit. Van der Poel’s pressing unhitched Pauwels, though détente on Lap 6 brought the three back together.

World Cup leader Wout Van Aert (Belgium) was suffering early in the race but led the huge chasing group. Up front Van der Poel kept testing his companions on the run-up and subsequent section to stretch out gaps, but his rivals continued to bring the World Champion back. It was the run-up that gave van der Poel a seven-second gap over Pauwels at the start of the final lap, a lead that wouldn’t be erased. A flat tire scuppered Van der Haar’s win bid.

.@larsvanderhaar finishes in 3rd place after a late puncture at World Cup #Zolder! #KeepChallenging pic.twitter.com/sEiJtpOSMj

— Team Giant-Alpecin (@GiantAlpecin) December 26, 2015

Van Aert’s eighth place preserved his World Cup lead.

Despite crashing on the final lap, Canadian Michael van den Ham finished 40th. Aaron Schooler was top Canuck at 39th. Mark McConnell placed 55th.

Despite @MVDHcyclocross attempting a front flip on the last lap, he finished strong in 40th place. #UCICXWC #zolderworldcup

— Red Truck – Garneau (@redtruckgarneau) December 26, 2015

The World Cup continues January 17 in Lignières-en-Berry, France, with the penultimate round.