VALKENBURG, Netherlands – Eva Lechner (Team Colnago Sudtirol) utilized technical riding abilities from her mountain biking background to dominate the field, taking the win at Valkenburg.
Lechner led the women’s race from the start, only conceding her position momentarily in lap two to Britain’s Nikki Harris (Telenet-Fidea). Harris battled the Italian nearly the entire race, using the road sections to her advantage to stay in lock step until a mistake on a long, muddy, rutted descent in lap seven began to unravel her chances at a win.
Another spill on the same descent in the last lap cost Harris a place on the podium. Of the four women in position for a strike, it was the American Kaitlin Antonneau (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com), riding in a breakout performance, who took advantage of the mishap to finish second just ten seconds down on Lechner.
American rider Amanda Miller (Boulder Cycle Sport/YogaGlo) finished fifth, 48 seconds down on the leader, right behind the Czech Republic’s Pavla Havlikova (MRM- Avalon Pro Cycling).
In all, four American women finished in the top twenty with Crystal Anthony (Boulder Cycle Sport/YogaGlo) and Katie Compton (Trek Factory Racing) placing 12th and 13th respectively. Arley Kemmerer (Level Eleven Racing p/b PB2) placed 31st with Courtney McFadden (American Classic/Zones) finishing 40th. Christine Varados (Stevens Pro Cycling) crossed the line in 45th place after dealing with mechanical troubles early in the race.
Helen Wyman was the second British rider to finish in the top ten with Bethany Crumpton, Hannah Payton and Amra Mellor placing 17th, 27th and 35 respectively.
Compton is said to have departed from her usual training this year with a long break leading up to the start of the season. After battling the same allergies through the spring and summer that plagued her in the run up to the World Championships in January, the late start may pay off in the form of fresher legs come this year’s showdown in Heusden-Zolder.
2015 Valkenburg World Cup Cyclocross Race Elite Women's Results
| Rank | Name | Nat. | Age* | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eva LECHNER | ITA | 30 | 44:41:00 |
| 2 | Kaitlin ANTONNEAU | USA | 23 | 44:51:00 |
| 3 | Pavla HAVLIKOVA | CZE | 32 | 45:02:00 |
| 4 | Sanne CANT | BEL | 25 | 45:21:00 |
| 5 | Amanda MILLER | USA | 29 | 45:29:00 |
| 6 | Nikki HARRIS | GBR | 29 | 45:51:00 |
| 7 | Ellen VAN LOY | BEL | 35 | 46:04:00 |
| 8 | Helen WYMAN | GBR | 34 | 46:10:00 |
| 9 | Jolien VERSCHUEREN | BEL | 25 | 46:16:00 |
| 10 | Sanne VAN PAASSEN | NED | 27 | 46:43:00 |
| 11 | Femke VAN DEN DRIESSCHE | BEL | 19 | 46:55:00 |
| 12 | Crystal ANTHONY | USA | 35 | 47:11:00 |
| 13 | Katherine COMPTON | USA | 37 | 48:03:00 |
| 14 | Alice Maria ARZUFFI | ITA | 21 | 48:16:00 |
| 15 | Maud KAPTHEIJNS | NED | 21 | 48:53:00 |
| 16 | Loes SELS | BEL | 30 | 49:05:00 |
| 17 | Bethany CRUMPTON | GBR | 21 | 49:16:00 |
| 18 | Jana CZECZINKAROVA | CZE | 18 | 49:19:00 |
| 19 | Lucia GONZALEZ BLANCO | ESP | 25 | 49:25:00 |
| 20 | Malle Grossette | FRA | 17 | 49:28:00 |
| 21 | Nikola NOSKOVA | CZE | 18 | 49:32:00 |
| 22 | Karen VERHESTRAETEN | BEL | 24 | 49:38:00 |
| 23 | Lizzy WITLOX | NED | 20 | 49:42:00 |
| 24 | Janka KESEG STEVKOVA | SVK | 39 | 49:49:00 |
| 25 | Marlene PETIT | FRA | 24 | 49:55:00 |
| 26 | Yara KASTELIJN | NED | 18 | 50:08:00 |
| 27 | Hannah PAYTON | GBR | 21 | 50:13:00 |
| 28 | Aida NUNO PALACIO | ESP | 32 | 50:20:00 |
| 29 | Marlne MOREL PETITGIRARD | FRA | 27 | 5:40 |
| 30 | Inge VAN DER HEIJDEN | NED | 16 | 50:30:00 |
| 31 | Arley KEMMERER | USA | 31 | 50:37:00 |
| 32 | Martina MIKULASKOVA | CZE | 22 | 50:54:00 |
| 33 | Laura PERRY | FRA | 19 | 51:16:00 |
| 34 | Margriet Helena KLOPPENBURG | DEN | 27 | 51:24:00 |
| 35 | Amira MELLOR | GBR | 18 | 51:24:00 |
| 36 | Adela SAFAROVA | CZE | 17 | 51:48:00 |
| 37 | Esmee OOSTERMAN | NED | 19 | 52:06:00 |
| 38 | Asa Maria ERLANDSSON | SWE | 41 | 52:23:00 |
| 39 | Manon BAKKER | NED | 16 | 53:08:00 |
| 40 | Courtenay MCFADDEN | USA | 30 | |
| 41 | Stefanie PAUL | GER | 29 | |
| 42 | Katrien THIJS | BEL | 30 | |
| 43 | Alicia GONZALEZ BLANCO | ESP | 20 | |
| 44 | Suzie GODART | LUX | 53 | |
| 45 | Christine VARDAROS | USA | 46 | |
| 46 | Patrycja Lorkowska | POL | 17 | |
| 47 | Elizabeth UNGERMANOVA | CZE | 16 | |
| 48 | Denisa LUKESOVA | CZE | 17 | |
| 49 | Karolina Perekitko | POL | 17 | |
| 50 | Lina RAUSCH | GER | 17 | |
| 51 | Zofia Rzeszutek | POL | 18 | |
| DNF | Lise-Marie HENZELIN | SUI | 24 | |
| DNF | Laura VERDONSCHOT | BEL | 19 | |
| DNF | Juliette LABOUS | FRA | 17 | |
| DNS | Thalita DE JONG | NED | 22 | |
| DNS | Hanka KUPFERNAGEL | GER | 41 |
