Katie Compton wins the Cyclocross World Cup in Roubaix. © Joe Sales
by Bart Hazen of the Daily Peloton,
Photos by Joe Sales
American Katherine Compton impressed with an stellar one-woman show in Roubaix. Compton, who took her third World Cup victory of the season, won with a lead of nine seconds on World Champion and German Champion Hanka Kupfernagel. At 42 seconds Dutch Champion Daphny van den Brand completed the podium. Marianne Vos and home rider Christel Ferrier-Bruneau rounded off the top five.
Due to the rain the course in Roubaix was very tough and muddy. Hanka Kupfernagel and Marianne Vos had the best start followed by Daphny van den Brand. Compton had a slow start, missing the lead train and had to chase for one lap before she rejoined the break. She immediately took the initiative and put some pressure on the others. Due to her acceleration, both Dutch riders Vos and Van den Brand (crash) dropped off the break.
Compton powers through the sand pit, Photo by Joe Sales
In the third lap of six Compton showed her strenght and easily got rid off Kupfernagel. Lap by lap she was increasing her lead and with three laps to go the gap was up to 17 seconds on La Hanka. Marianne Vos, Daphny van den Brand, Christel Ferrier Bruneau and Maryline Salvetat were following about 30 seconds down.
In the final two laps Compton made some small mistakes but it did not stop her from taking her third World Cup win of the season. Kupfernagel finished as second and Van den Brand as third. Earlier this season Compton won the World Cups in Koksijde and Nommay. Due to her second place Kupfernagel secured her overall win in the World Cup.
With Rachel Lloyd the USA had another rider in the top 10. Lloyd finished as seventh 1:47 down on Compton. Wendy Simms was 15th, Sue Butler 26th, Natasha Eliott 34th, and Christine Vardaros 36th. Images and full results below.
Photos by Joe Sales:
Full Results:
| Place | Bib | Rider | Country | Time |
| 1 | 21 | COMPTON Katherine | USA | 0:41:48 |
| 2 | 1 | KUPFERNAGEL Hanka | GER | +00:09 |
| 3 | 11 | VAN DEN BRAND Daphny | NED | +00:42 |
| 4 | 14 | VOS Marianne | NED | +00:53 |
| 5 | 5 | FERRIER-BRUNEAU Christel | FRA | +01:01 |
| 6 | 43 | WYMAN Helen | GBR | +01:37 |
| 7 | 22 | LLOYD Rachel | USA | +01:47 |
| 8 | 4 | SALVETAT Maryline | FRA | +01:51 |
| 9 | 7 | MANI Caroline | FRA | +01:59 |
| 10 | 29 | CANT Sanne | BEL | +02:06 |
| 11 | 12 | VAN PAASSEN Sanne | NED | +02:07 |
| 12 | 6 | TRIQUET-CLAUDE Nadia | FRA | +02:21 |
| 13 | 18 | MELCHERS-VAN POPPEL Mirjam | NED | +02:22 |
| 14 | 13 | ELEMANS Saskia | NED | +02:46 |
| 15 | 40 | SIMMS Wendy | CAN | +02:54 |
| 16 | 46 | HAVLIKOVA Pavla | CZE | +03:08 |
| 17 | 15 | HORMES Reza | NED | +03:48 |
| 18 | 31 | VANDERBEKEN Joyce | BEL | +03:49 |
| 19 | 17 | FRANCISSEN Abke | NED | +04:02 |
| 20 | 45 | HARRIS Nikki | GBR | +04:16 |
| 21 | 50 | LEUMANN Katrin | SUI | +04:40 |
| 22 | 30 | INGELS Veerle | BEL | +05:05 |
| 23 | 16 | GRIMBERG Arenda | NED | +05:11 |
| 24 | 44 | DAY Gabriella | GBR | +05:12 |
| 25 | 54 | SCHWEIZER Sabrina | GER | +05:12 |
| 26 | 23 | BUTLER Susan | USA | +05:13 |
| 27 | 27 | BRESCIANI Daniela | ITA | +05:39 |
| 28 | 26 | LECHNER Eva | ITA | +05:40 |
| 29 | 39 | OGISHIMA Mika | JPN | +05:43 |
| 30 | 34 | DE BIE – LEYTEN Nicole | BEL | +05:45 |
| 31 | 2 | JURANEK Susanne | GER | +05:48 |
| 32 | 9 | DARCEL Camille | FRA | +05:55 |
| 33 | 48 | RIEDL Elke | AUT | +05:59 |
| 34 | 41 | ELLIOTT Natasha | CAN | +06:05 |
| 35 | 53 | BRUCHMANN Gesa | GER | +07:10 |
| 36 | 24 | VARDAROS Christine | USA | +07:18 |
| 37 | 33 | BOBER Nancy | BEL | +07:30 |
| 38 | 10 | LEFEVRE Lucie | FRA | +07:36 |
| 39 | 36 | PAUWELS Katrien | BEL | +07:49 |
| 40 | 47 | KYPTOVA Jana | CZE | +08:10 |
| 41 | 37 | LARNO Patsy | BEL | +08:16 |
| 42 | 32 | WILLEMS Gertie | BEL | -1LAP |
| 43 | 49 | MÜLLER Lise | SUI | -1LAP |
