World Cup at Valkenburg: Katie Compton Soars After Early Mechanical – Women’s Elite Race Report, Updated: Full Results

Katie Compton overcame a huge mechanical for a major comeback win at Valkenburg. © Bart Hazen

(Valkenburg, NED) – Ellen Van Loy had a great start in the first World Cup of the season, with Lucie Chainel following behind. Sanne Cant was also near the lead, and all the Americans appeared to be gathering together, with Elle Anderson, Katie Compton and Arley Kemmerer all in close proximity.

By the first run up, Cant took over the lead, with Wyman and Chainel on her wheel. The French rider took over in the back pavement section, but Compton didn’t give her a long leash. Unfortunately for the American rider, this would be her last move in the lead group for a while. During one of the off-camber sections, Compton crashed, causing a mechanical that cost her a full 45 seconds.

Wyman took advantage of the situation with Sophie De Boer as the two women took off, with only Nikki Harris and Cant able to maintain the pace. Elle Anderson meanwhile, barely made the top ten as she fought through traffic. Cant pressed hard, aggressive lines inside of Harris halfway through the race while Van Loy lingered close behind the four leaders with three laps to go.

Then, almost out of nowhere, Katie Compton appeared in the distance, sixth behind Van Loy. By the time she crossed the line with two to go, she moved up into fourth and sat with the leaders. She passed Wyman in the off-cambers, and Wyman battled back for the lead at the run up. Elle Anderson, meanwhile, was back in seventh while Kemmerer stood 12^th.

Wyman continued to put her foot down in the corners, eating into her pace, and with one to go, Compton got out of her saddle and attacked. Cant and De Boer fought for third almost ten seconds back. In the last run up, Compton used the banners to help her power up. Wyman cut slightly into the gap but it was not enough with half a lap to go, where the race finally opened up for all the podium riders, including De Boer in third.

Elle Anderson moved up to fifth at the finish, and Arley Kemmerer moved up a spot to 11th to complete a great race fro the Americans.

“I’m comfortable settling in after not the best start” Compton said right after her race. “And I’m feeling better than this time last year.”

Valkenburg coverage also includes photo galleries and the Men’s Elite Race Report with Van der Haar’s dominating victory and Jeremy Powers’s top ten finish.

Valkenburg World Cup 2014 - Women's Full Results