US champion takes last big race before the World Championships as Sanne Van Paassen secures overall series
Katie Compton (Planet Bike) recovered from a less than perfect start on the muddy course of Hoogerheide, Netherlands to power away from the rest of the favourites and take her fifth World Cup victory of the season. Despite suffering a number of incidents in the Dutch mud, Hanka Kupfernagel (Stevens) held on to take second place, with Marianne Vos (Nederland Bloeit) not far behind her in third.
Just as in last week’s race in Pontchâteau, France, Vos raced out of the start and took the first corner first. Just as last week though, Kupfernagel was right on her tail and took over on the first flat, muddy section. With her went Vos and Sanne Van Paassen (Brainwash Wielerploeg); Pauline Ferrand Prevot (France) and Compton were in pursuit, just behind.
Midway through that first lap, Ferrand Prevot and Compton caught up with the leaders making a group of five up front, although Compton seemed to be uncharacteristically having problems in the mud. Just behind them was the duo of Sanne Cant (BKCP-Powerplus) and Helen Wyman (Kona-FSA); Cant caught up with the front group just as it crossed the line at the end of the lap.
In the sticky flat section in the first half of lap two, a number of riders began to have problems; Cant and Ferrand Prevot were the first to lose contact, then Van Paassen too was forced to let the other three go as Kupfernagel accelerated.
Compton had further problems on another muddy section allowing Vos and Kupfernagel to get clear; the American champion chased back on though, leaving three riders up front once more.
Through the wooded part of the course, where she had suffered problems on the previous lap, Compton hit the front. This time it was Kupfernagel who suffered with poor traction and came to a stop against the barriers; the German champion’s bike slewed across the track, bringing Vos to a halt as well, giving Compton a clear gap.
As they crossed the line at the end of lap two, the American led Vos and Kupfernagel by 9 seconds and continued to build her advantage.
With Compton now seemingly over her problems in the mud she carried on powering around the course. Kupfernagel showed no such improvement though, and continued to have problems; Vos seemed to be behind the German whenever this happened and was continually forced to dismount.
At the end of lap three, as she took the bell, Compton’s lead had grown to 24 seconds.
On the muddy flat section for the last time Vos seemed to crack a little and Kupfernagel was able to pull clear. Van Paassen was continuing to chase behind her, but was seemingly too far back to worry the World champion.
Up ahead, Compton suffered no further problems on the final lap and continued alone to take her fifth World Cup win of the year. The US champion has won every round that she has competed in and would surely have taken the overall competition had she not missed the races in Plzen, Czech Republic and Pontchâteau, France.
Kupfernagel, now clear of Vos, took second place alone, 18 seconds later, with the World champion another 13 seconds behind her.
Despite a mistake on the final lap, where she was forced to run over the bridge and almost allowed Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team) to catch up, Van Paassen crossed the line in fourth place. The Dutchwoman only needed to finish fifth to take the overall World Cup and celebrated her series victory for the entire length of the finishing straight.
Result Hooegerheide World Cup Elite Women
1. Katie Compton (USA) Planet Bike
2. Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) Stevens @ 18s
3. Marianne Vos (Ned) Nederland Bloeit @ 31s
4 Sanne Van Paassen (Ned) Brainwash Wielerploeg @ 51s
5. Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team @ 1’01”
6. Sanne Cant (Bel) BKCP-Powerplus @ 1’14”
7. Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) France @ 1’18”
8. Helen Wyman (GBr) Kona-FSA @ 1’37”
9. Sophie De Boer (Ned) ZZPR.nl @ 1’51”
10. Sabine Spitz (Ger) Central Pro Team @ 2’02”
Final World Cup Standings
1. Sanne Van Paassen (Ned) Brainwash Wielerploeg 310pts
2. Katie Compton (USA) Planet Bike 300
3. Marianne Vos (Ned) Nederland Bloeit 205
4. Sanne Cant (Bel) BKCP-Powerplus 203
5. Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) Stevens 198