OUDENAARDE, Belgium – Jolien Verschuren (VZW Young Telenet Fidea) took the win at the second round of the Bpost Bank Trofee series held on and around the famed Koppenburg, the steep 22% grade prominently featured in the Tour of Flanders.
Verschuren motored her way around the hilly and winding course maintaining a healthy lead over her challengers. Femke Van Den Driessche (Team Kleur Op Maat – Corpellets) claimed second, working her way back into position after taking the holeshot only to slip and fall early in the race.
Third place went to Nikki Harris (VZW Young Telenet Fidea) while fellow British rider Helen Wyman (Kona Factory Team) and Belgian’s Sanne Cant (Enertherm-BKCP) finished out the top five.
Hannah Payton finished just outside of the top ten in 11th place while Britain’s Diane Lee and Annabel Simpson took 17th and 19th. Also hailing from Britain, Amira Mellor, Madeleine Gammons and Sophie Thackray finished the day in 22nd, 35th, and 41st places respectively.
Verschuren’s win leapfrogs her in the standings over teammate Pavla Havlikova, who won the opening round at the GP Mario De Clercq in Ronse but did not start today’s race. Harris sits in second 1:40 down and Cant holds third place with a deficit of 2:58.
Want to know how the Koppenbergcross Elite Men’s race went down? Check out our race report for video highlights and results.
Koppenbergcross Elite Women’s Brief Results:
1. Jolien Verschueren – VZW Young Telenet Fidea Cycling Team 43:45
2. Femke Van Den Driessche – VZW Lotto-Ladiescycling +0:00:58
3. Nikki Harris – VZW Young Telenet Fidea Cycling Team +0:01:06
4. Sanne Cant – Enertherm – BKCP +0:01:21
5. Thalita De Jong – Rabobank Liv +0:01:28
6. Helen Wyman – Kona Factory Team +0:01:33
7. Ellen Van Loy – VZW Young Telenet Fidea Cycling Team +0:02:26
8. Sanne Van Paassen – Boels Dolmans Cycling Team +0:02:40
9. Maud Kaptheijns – AA Drink-Kalas Cycling Team +0:02:43
10. Loes Sels – VZW Young Telenet Fidea Cycling Team +0:05:28
