File photo: Helen Wyman, shown here at Essen, took an impressive solo win at Flandriencross. © Bart Hazen/Cyclocross Magazine
Helen Wyman (Kona Factory Team) proved to be best in the slick mud of Hamme, taking the lead early and never looking back to win the third round of the Bpost Bank Trofee series, Flandriencross, over Sanne Cant.
The race got off to a fast start, with the American U23 duo of Ellen Noble (JAM Fund/NCC/Vittoria) and Emma White (Cyclocrossworld.com) getting to the front of the race and driving the pace. The youthful duo was swallowed up by the pack, which allowed Wyman to strike out with a solo effort.
The slick and off-camber course at Hamme seemed tailor-made to Wyman’s excellent bike handing and running skills, and she quickly distanced her rivals. Behind her, Sanne Cant (Enertherm-BKCP) began to chase, eating into Wyman’s advantage slowly but surely.
With two laps to go, as Cant was with a few meters of making contact with Wyman, she suffered a mechanical in a muddy straightaway, and had to take a moment to fix what appeared to be a dropped chain.
This was all of the advantage needed for Wyman to take the win—she seized the opportunity to keep the power down and ride a clean last lap, coming across the line with her first win since the British National Championships.
After chasing the leaders solo all race, fellow Brit Nikki Harris (Young Telenet-Fidea) rolled across the line in third.
Check out the Flandriencross Elite Men’s race report to see how Wout van Aert got his revenge on Sven Nys.
2015 Bpost Bank Trofee Series Flandriencross Elite Women's Results
| Rank | Name | Nat. | Age* | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Helen WYMAN | GBR | 34 | 37:15:00 |
| 2 | Sanne CANT | BEL | 25 | 37:23:00 |
| 3 | Nikki HARRIS | GBR | 29 | 37:39:00 |
| 4 | Pavla HAVLIKOVA | CZE | 32 | 38:20:00 |
| 5 | Ellen VAN LOY | BEL | 35 | 38:28:00 |
| 6 | Sophie DE BOER | NED | 25 | 38:35:00 |
| 7 | Jolien VERSCHUEREN | BEL | 25 | 38:44:00 |
| 8 | Loes SELS | BEL | 30 | 39:07:00 |
| 9 | Maud KAPTHEIJNS | NED | 21 | 39:25:00 |
| 10 | Joyce VANDERBEKEN | BEL | 31 | 40:17:00 |
| 11 | Femke VAN DEN DRIESSCHE | BEL | 19 | 40:35:00 |
| 12 | Ellen NOBLE | USA | 20 | 40:43:00 |
| 13 | Bianca VAN DEN HOEK | NED | 39 | 40:52:00 |
| 14 | Karen VERHESTRAETEN | BEL | 24 | 41:04:00 |
| 15 | Emma WHITE | USA | 18 | 41:12:00 |
| 16 | Linda TER BEEK | NED | 28 | 41:52:00 |
| 17 | Cindy BAUWENS | BEL | 41 | 41:52:00 |
| 18 | Lindy VAN ANROOIJ | NED | 19 | 41:57:00 |
| 19 | Fleur NAGENGAST | NED | 17 | 42:05:00 |
| 20 | Laura VERDONSCHOT | BEL | 19 | 42:17:00 |
| 21 | Shana MAES | BEL | 20 | 42:23:00 |
| 22 | Nikola NOSKOVA | CZE | 18 | 43:37:00 |
| 23 | Fanny STUMPF | FRA | 21 | 43:42:00 |
| 24 | Axelle BELLAERT | BEL | 18 | 44:14:00 |
| 25 | Jara NOèL | BEL | 16 | 44:40:00 |
| 26 | Suzanne VERHOEVEN | NED | 19 | 44:47:00 |
| 27 | Meg DE BRUYNE | BEL | 19 | 45:14:00 |
| 28 | Veerle GOOSSENS | NED | 22 | 45:57:00 |
| 29 | Tine VERDEYEN | BEL | 26 | 46:24:00 |
| 30 | Anja GELDHOF | BEL | 42 | 46:58:00 |
| 31 | Birgit MASSAG | BEL | 25 | 47:18:00 |
| 32 | Svenja WTHRICH | SUI | 17 | 47:21:00 |
| 33 | Michelle SCHTTI | SUI | 16 | |
| 34 | Caren COMMISSARIS | BEL | 21 | |
| 35 | Jana DOBBELAERE | BEL | 19 | |
| 36 | Flurina GLAUS | SUI | 18 | |
| 37 | Kelly GREEFS | BEL | 35 | |
| 38 | Jo BLANCHAERT | BEL | 45 | |
| 39 | Cindy DIERICX | BEL | 41 | |
| 40 | Maaike LANSSENS | BEL | 23 |
