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Cant can! Belgian repeats as world cyclocross champion after electrifying duel with Compton

Tyler Clark earns Canada's best Saturday result in Junior men's race

February 3, 2018
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Belgian Sanne Cant repeated as the elite woman world cyclocross champion following a thrilling duel with American Katie Compton Saturday in Valkenburg, Limburg, the Netherlands. Wily vet Compton added another silver medal to her three others earned in 2007, 2011 and 2013. Canadian Maghalie Rochette was as high as fifth, but sifted down the field to finish 22rd.

The 2.9-km course was a very muddy one, with an early trip journey through a forest, plenty of climbing, a long run-up and sloppy descents, off-camber and otherwise.



The Junior Men and U23 Women
The Brits dominated the two early races. In the Junior men‘s contest, there was a Brit on the top step for the second consecutive year. Ben Tulett, runner-up to compatriot Tom Pidcock last year and ninth in the Junior men World Cup, took the gold. Tomáš Kopecký, the Czech World Cup champion, earned silver and Dutchman Ryan Kamp was the rider in bronze. Top Canadian was Tyler Clark in 19th, while Conor Martin was 29th, Dylan Kerr 44th and Paul Mysko 62nd.

Surviving an early crash, Evie Richards, the Brit who triumphed in the elite women’s race of the World Cup round in Namur, Belgium, nabbed her second U23 women’s title in the muck, where her mountain bike skills came in handy. On the final of three laps, she got stuck in a very small gear and needed her 35-second buffer to make it to the pits for a new machine. Richards wore gold in 2016 and bronze in 2017. Dutch rider Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado, the World Cup runner-up, was second and Austrian Nadja Heigl surprised many by coming third. National champion Ruby West was top Canadian in 21st, Magdeleine Vallieres Mill finished right behind her in 22nd and Siobhan Kelly placed 40th.

https://twitter.com/CXHairs/status/959768791910682624

The Elite Women
The course seemingly didn’t favour last year’s champion and 2017-2018 World Cup winner Cant, so it was a wide-open field. Eva Lechner (Italy) grabbed the hole shot and led into the woods with Christine Majerus (Luxembourg) close on the Italian’s wheel. Maghalie Rochette fought her way up to fifth on the first lap as the muddy run-ups took their toll.

Lechner fell away as Majerus took the lead, Belgian duo Ellen Van Loy and Cant the closest pursuers. It was Cant assuming the lead on yet another muddy run-up, American Katie Compton, this season’s DVV Trofee winner, working her way up the field to third. Cant’s first lap was 12:05, nine-seconds over Majerus. Rochette had dropped down to 19th.

Compton became Cant’s closest chaser on Lap 2 of 4. Lucinda Brand (The Netherlands) threatened Majerus’s final podium spot. Compton reached Cant near the end of the second circuit. Rochette was 18th after two laps, Christel Ferrier Bruneau 29th and Mical Dyck 33rd.

The start of Lap 3 saw Cant pull out a seven-second gap on the American after a mistake, but Compton came back to her. Behind, Brand overtook Majerus. Avoiding errors were crucial. Compton charged ahead, forcing an eight-second lead.

On the bell lap, Sanne Cant reached her rival again and surged to the front. Behind the thrilling race for gold, Majerus once more seized the bronze position. Compton rode what Cant had to run up. Compton was only five-seconds behind. Again, Majerus and Brand swapped positions. Compton dropped further behind. Brand finally shed Majerus for good.

Cant had plenty of time to celebrate. After she caught her breath she called the contest the hardest race of her career.

Canadians: Not only did Rochette come 22nd, but also Canadian national champion Ferrier Bruneau earned 29th and Dyck 31st.

Competition continues Sunday with the U23 and elite men’s races.


2018 UCI World Cyclocross Championships, Elite Women
Gold) Sanne Cant (Belgium) 49:34
Silver) Katie Compton (U.S.A.) +0:12
Bronze) Lucinda Brand (The Netherlands) +0:26
22) Maghalie Rochette (Canada) +4:27
29) Christel Ferrier Bruneau (Canada) +6:52
31) Mical Dyck (Canada) +8:04