Thriller in Lille: Maud Kaptheijns Upsets World Champ Cant, Verdonschot at Krawatencross – Full Results, Video

Stakes were high in the final round of the Ijsboerke Ladies Trophy series, as world-dominating Sanne Cant took the line. With Thalita de Jong out of contention due to injuries suffered at Hoogerheide, and Cant slotted first in the Trophy series, winner at Krawatencross the past three years, first position on the line, and lest we forget, first in the world, it seemed improbable that she would give up her lead.

2017 Krawatencross Lille - Course Map - DVV Verzekeringen Trofee

A terrifying crash at the start gave the first 20 riders a head start, as Nikki Brammeier’s rear wheel quick release looked to have slipped, and with the rear wheel against the frame, slammed her forward into her stem and then into the course barriers.

While the field tried to avoid further carnage, Sophie de Boer hammered the long starting straightaway to take the holeshot. The fierce pace at the start, and a quick series of sandy turns into the run up resulted in a strung-out race along the lake-side straightaway. The drizzly rain had caused the lake to encroach onto the course, and riders splashed through to keep up the chase.

The rain also made the first wooded section dicey, with a set of slick incline right-hand turns. Coming into this section it was Ellen Van Loy (Telenet Fidea Lions) at the front of the pack, with Sophie de Boer (Breepark), Sanne Cant (IKO Enertherm-Beobank), Laura Verdonschot (Marlux-Napoleon Games), and Maud Kaptheijns (Team Steylaerts) on her tail. Loes Sels (Telenet Fidea Lions) was shot off the back, as the lead group appeared to be pushing a huge gear. Sels seemed comfortable in the mixed conditions, smoothly riding the first sandy turn after the run up that many other riders were attempting, only to dismount awkwardly, one foot down, as the deep sand sucked them in.

By the end of the first lap, Cant, Kaptheijns, and De Boer had driven a wedge between Verdonschot and Van Loy, with Sels 30 seconds back, and Katie Compton (KFC Racing) quick on Sels’ heels.

Van Loy had a few mishaps — trouble clipping back in after the larger sandbox, and a crash in another sandy corner — and she shook her head as she attempted to catch back onto the group. Soon after, Kaptheijns also had a small mishap before the long power straight, which lead into a wooded chicane section. De Boer made an aggressive pass on Cant in this chicane section, causing Cant to dismount and run up the incline.

The lead ladies shuffled for position in lap two, but by the end of lap three, De Boer and Cant had four seconds over Kaptheijns, 10 seconds over Verdonschot, 40 seconds over Van Loy, and 48 seconds over Compton. Compton’s eyes were set on Van Loy as she ascended the run-up, which at this point was coated in the sticky wet sand.

As the racers rounded the first corner with the lake in sight, De Boer overshot the turn a bit, hitting a mud slick, and going down, taking Verdonschot with her as Verdonschot attempted to avoid running de Boer over. Verdonschot was up quickly, but De Boer trailed for the remainder of the race.

The rain increased coming into the final lap, and the sand tracks widened, giving racers better opportunities to ride sections that were previously riddled with deep running holes. Verdonschot, Cant, and Kaptheijns stormed onto the finishing straight away. Verdonschot glanced over her shoulder to eyeball Cant’s attack, and neither Verdonschot nor Cant were watching the opportunistic Kaptheijns.

The young Dutch racer sprung out of her saddle, swung wide onto the right, and crushed the sprint to take first, roaring as she crossed the finish line.

Een reactie van een dolgelukkige @MaudKaptheijns na haar zege in Lille: https://t.co/BGFeBDvbOL Foto: @Photopress.be pic.twitter.com/sk0ES91E8Q

— Steylaerts-Verona (@St_Ve_CX) February 4, 2017

Four Americans took to the start with Compton finishing in 5th, Elle Anderson in 12th,  Kaitie Antonneau (Cannondale p/b CyclocrossWorld) in 14th, and Erin Faccone in 41st.

Sanne Cant wrapped up the overall series win with her second place today.

Missed the live video via Trek? Watch the highlights of the women’s race below.

Full results and final overall Ijsboerke Ladies Trophy standings below the video.

2017 Krawatencross – Lille Video Highlights:

2017 Krawatencross – Lille Full Race Video:

2017 Krawatencross, Lille Elite Women's Results - Ijsboerke Ladies Trophy

Pl	Name	Team	Time
1	Maud Kaptheijns	Team Steylaerts	45:08:00
2	Sanne Cant	IKO Enertherm-Beobank	0:00:01
3	Laura Verdonschot	Marlux-Napoleon Games	0:00:02
4	Sophie De Boer	Kalas-NNOF	0:00:36
5	Katherine Compton	Trek Cyclocross Colective	0:00:55
6	Ellen Van Loy	Telenet Fidea Lions	0:01:15
7	Loes Sels	Telenet Fidea Lions	0:01:18
8	Manon Bakker		0:01:35
9	Karen Verhestraeten	Lares-WoawDeals	0:01:46
10	Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado		0:02:09
11	Helen Wyman	Kona Factory Team	0:02:20
12	Elle Anderson		0:02:27
13	Pauline Delhaye		0:02:40
14	Kaitlin Antonneau	Cannondale-cyclocrossworld.com	0:02:48
15	Veerle Goossens		0:03:01
16	Lindy Van Anrooij		0:03:19
17	Joyce Vanderbeken	AA Drink-Kalas	0:03:31
18	Alicia Franck		0:03:35
19	Linda Ter Beek		0:03:36
20	Suzanne Verhoeven		0:03:41
21	Shana Maes	AA Drink-Kalas	0:03:49
22	Amira Mellor		0:04:09
23	Maaike De Heij		0:04:23
24	Marthe Truyen		0:04:31
25	Jolien Verschueren	Telenet Fidea Lions	0:04:57
26	Eva Maria Palm	AA Drink-Kalas	0:05:20
27	Julie Wright		0:05:31
28	Stefanie Paul		0:05:48
29	Mascha Mulder		0:06:08
30	Laur Krans		0:06:13
31	Kristien Nelen		0:06:14
32	Lena Bischof-Stein		0:06:18
33	Meg De Bruyne		0:06:49
34	Gertie Willems		0:07:06
35	TInne Vermeiren		0:07:38
36	Sabine Hey		0:07:39
37	Yenthe Boons		0:07:54
38	Jinse Peeters		0:08:33
39	Caren Commissaris		0:08:47
40	Lise Van Wunsel		0:09:09
41	Erin Faccone		0:09:18

2016 / 2017 Ijsboerke Ladies Trophy Overall Standings

Pl	Name	Team	Time
1	Sanne Cant	IKO Enertherm-Beobank	5:50:35
	Thalita De Jong	Rabobank-Liv	04:28
3	Ellen Van Loy	Telenet Fidea Lions	05:48
4	Maud Kaptheijns	Team Steylaerts	07:32
5	Laura Verdonschot	Marlux-Napoleon Games	08:11
6	Sophie De Boer	Kalas-NNOF	10:30
7	Jolien Verschueren	Telenet Fidea Lions	13:10
8	Loes Sels	Telenet Fidea Lions	15:49
9	Karen Verhestraeten	Lares-WoawDeals	16:52
10	Nikki Brammeier	Boels-Dolmans	18:27
11	Pavla Havlikova	MRM Avalon Pro Cycling	21:10
12	Marianne Vos	Rabobank-Liv	23:42
13	Elle Anderson		24:16
14	Lindy Van Anrooij		27:10
15	Alicia Franck		27:22
16	Kaitlin Antonneau	Cannondale-cyclocrossworld.com	27:45
17	Lucinda Brand		28:34
18	Githa Michiels		29:09
19	Manon Bakker		29:51
20	Pauline Delhaye		30:54
21	Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado		31:44
22	Shana Maes	AA Drink-Kalas	31:53
23	Geerte Hoeke		32:18
24	Evie Richards		32:26
25	Yara Kastelijn		32:29
26	Inge Van Der Heijden		32:58
27	Emma White		33:02
28	Bianca Van Den Hoek		33:03
29	Nikola Noskova	AA Drink-Kalas	33:16
30	Fleur Nagengast	Telenet Fidea Lions	33:30
31	Katarina Nash	Luna Pro Team	33:37
32	Anne Terpstra		33:38
33	Ceylin Alvarado Del Carmen		33:39
34	Annemarie Worst	Rabobank-Liv	33:45
35	Katherine Compton	Trek Cyclocross Colective	33:47
36	Veerle Goossens		33:50
37	Monique Van De Ree		33:53
38	Alice Maria Arzuffi		34:34
39	Christine Majerus	Boels-Dolmans	34:42
40	Floor Weerink		35:08
41	Ellen Noble	Ridebiker Alliance	35:10
42	Helen Wyman	Kona Factory Team	35:12
43	Joyce Vanderbeken	AA Drink-Kalas	35:19
44	Amanda Nauman		35:30
45	Kim Van De Steene		35:31
46	Ffion James		35:32
47	Juliette Labous		35:38
48	Linda Ter Beek		35:40
49	Lucia Gonzalez Blanco		35:57
50	Alicia Gonzalez Blanco		36:01
51	Sunny Gilbert		36:20
52	Suzanne Verhoeven		36:33
53	Lizzy Witlox		36:42
54	Alice Maria Arzuffi		36:49
55	Ida Jansson		36:49
56	Anais Morichon		36:50
57	Susanne Meistrok		36:54
58	Audrey Menut		36:59
59	Aurelie Vermeir		36:59
60	Eva Maria Palm	AA Drink-Kalas	37:00
61	Amira Mellor		37:01
62	Axelle Bellaert	AA Drink-Kalas	37:03
63	Julia Boschker		37:05
64	Megan James		37:06
65	Asa Maria Erlandsson		37:08
66	Maaike De Heij		37:15
67	Helene Clauzel		37:15
68	TInne Vermeiren		37:22
69	Marthe Truyen		37:23
70	Jinse Peeters		37:25
71	Gertie Willems		37:29
72	Mascha Mulder		37:32
73	Kristien Nelen		37:38
74	Emily Wadsworth		37:50
75	Julie Wright		37:52
76	Stefanie Paul		37:52
77	Laur Krans		37:52
78	Lena Bischof-Stein		37:52
79	Meg De Bruyne		37:52
80	Sabine Hey		37:52
81	Yenthe Boons		37:52
82	Caren Commissaris		37:52
83	Lise Van Wunsel		37:52
84	Erin Faccone		37:52
85	Shari Bossuyt		37:52
86	Julia Nikolopoulos		37:52
87	Tine Verdeyen		37:52
88	Lisette Schoon		37:52
89	Anke Van Rompay		37:52
90	Diana Steffenhagen		37:52
91	Katharina Hinz		37:52
92	Jo Blanchaert		37:52
93	Karen De Keulenaer		37:52
94	Femke Kuijpers		37:52
95	Mieke Docx		37:52
96	Britta Werners		37:52
97	Rebecca Locke		37:52
98	Sarah Berkane		37:52
99	Christine Vardaros		37:52
100	Kelly Greefs		37:52
101	Stacey Riedel		37:52
102	Naomi Williams		37:52
103	Irene Trabazo Bragado		37:52
104	Nikola Bajgerova		37:52
105	Miyoko Karami		37:52
106	Saga Molin		37:52
107	Laure Michels		37:52
108	Hannah Van Boven		37:52
109	Madeleine Gammons		37:52
110	Virginia Cancellieri		37:52
111	Birgit Massage		37:52
112	Elodie Kuijper		37:52
113	Sarah Lomas		37:52
114	Ilona Van Ginneken		37:52
115	Xan Crees		37:52
116	Tine Rombouts		37:52
117	Sinead Burke		37:52
118	Emilie Thy		37:52
119	Marie Jackson		37:52
120	Pepe Phillips		37:52
121	Lara Van Wunsel		37:52
122	Marijke Tache		37:52
123	Esther Van Der Burg		37:52
124	Zoë Mulder		37:52
125	Nele Van Maldeghem		37:52
126	Ella Conolly		37:52
127	Lara Defour		37:52
128	Brenda Kaczmarczyk		37:52
129	Justine Louchaert		37:52
130	Chantal Verstraten		37:52
131	Evie Richards		37:52
132	Julie Van de Velde		37:52
133	Jara Noël	AA Drink-Kalas	37:52
134	Jana Dobbelaere		37:52
135	Sandie Verriest		37:52
136	Bethany Crumpton		37:52
137	Senna Feron		37:52
138	Soetkin Vertenten		37:52
139	Mara Schwager		37:52
140	Katleen Fraeye		37:52
141	Tine Vandenheede		37:52
142	Elena Valentini		37:52