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The UCI C1 Koppenbergcross race is always a unique event. The long, cobbled climb, its November 1 date (often midweek) and its ability to unseat favorites and have less famous racers climb to glory all make for unpredictable racing.

In the Elite Women’s race, the first stop of the DVV Trofee series lived up to its history. While Kim van de Steene (Tarteletto-Isorex), fifth place in 2017, motored off the front on the first lap, fans were searching for the last two winners in Helen Wyman (Xypex – Verge Sport) and Jolien Verschueren. Wyman was chasing, while Verschueren did not start after undergoing brain surgery to remove a tumor this past April.

Van de Steene at the front before her first lap bobble. 2018 Koppenbergcross Elite Women. © Bart Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Van de Steene at the front before her first lap bobble. 2018 Koppenbergcross Elite Women. © Bart Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Behind Van de Steene, the “AM” teammates Alice Maria Arzuffi and Annemarie Worst (Steylaerts-777) led the chase, until Van de Steene slid out in a corner and dropped her chain.

Suddenly, a two-woman team time trial looked to put the rest of the field in trouble. Sanne Cant (IKO Beobank), Katie Compton (KFC Racing/Trek/Panache) Ellen van Loy (Telenet Fidea) and Nikki Brammeirer (Mudiiita) gave chase, while Van de Steene remounted and hoped to best her fifth from last year.

Worst leads the race up the Koppenbergcross with teammate Alice Maria Arzuffi, with Van de Steene lurking behind. 2018 Koppenbergcross Elite Women. © Bart Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Worst leads the race up the Koppenbergcross with teammate Alice Maria Arzuffi, with Van de Steene lurking behind. 2018 Koppenbergcross Elite Women. © Bart Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Up front, Worst and Arzuffi took one-lap turns at the front, with Worst leading for the rest of lap one and two, and Arzuffi taking over for lap three.

Van de Steene, however, wasn’t content to give the Steylaerts-777 pair a free ride to cobbled glory. She climbed back into the race, and then into the lead with one lap to go, gapping the teammates entering the final lap.

Kim van den Steene wins the 2018 Koppenbergcross. © Bart Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Kim van den Steene wins the 2018 Koppenbergcross. © Bart Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Geerte Herke (Creafin-TÜV) and Van Loy led a furious chase, and would finish fourth and fifth, respectively.

For the second year in a row, Elle Anderson finished in the top ten. 2018 Koppenbergcross Elite Women. © Bart Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

For the second year in a row, Elle Anderson finished in the top ten. 2018 Koppenbergcross Elite Women. © Bart Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Compton swapped bikes and faded out of the top ten, while Elle Anderson (Milwaukee – Alpha Motorhomes) nearly matched her ninth last year with a tenth place.

Kim van den Steene wins the 2018 Koppenbergcross. © Bart Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Kim van den Steene wins the 2018 Koppenbergcross. © Bart Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Arzuffi, Van de Steene and Worst. 2018 Koppenbergcross Elite Women. © Bart Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Arzuffi, Van de Steene and Worst. 2018 Koppenbergcross Elite Women. © Bart Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Just as with any Koppenbergcross edition, many racers showed the results of their efforts on the final climb.

Hoeke after her fourth-place effort. 2018 Koppenbergcross Elite Women. © Bart Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Hoeke after her fourth-place effort. 2018 Koppenbergcross Elite Women. © Bart Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Full results and photo gallery below.

2018 DVV Trofee Koppenbergcross Results: Elite Women

RankBIBLast NameFirst NameCountryTeamAgeResult
113VAN DE STEENEKimBELTARTELETTO - ISOREX320:47:24
210ARZUFFIAlice MariaITASTEYLAERTS - 777240:47:45
311WORSTAnnemarieNEDSTEYLAERTS - 777230:47:51
47VAN LOYEllenBELTELENET FIDEA LIONS380:48:11
517HOEKEGeerteNEDCREAFIN TÜV SUD280:48:16
61CANTSanneBELCORENDON - CIRCUS280:48:22
76BRAMMEIERNikkiGBR320:48:40
84WYMANHelenGBR370:48:46
93LECHNEREvaITACREAFIN TÜV SUD330:49:00
1012ANDERSONElleUSA300:49:10
118SELSLoesBELPAUWELS SAUZEN - VASTGOEDSERVICE330:49:18
122COMPTONKatherineUSA400:50:15
1329FLYNNAnnaGBR160:51:19
1425MOULLECLouiseFRA160:51:43
1516DELHAYEPaulineFRA290:51:52
1635THACKRAYSophieGBR190:52:55
1739PORHELLauraFRA190:53:12
1840WADSWORTHEmilyGBRTP RACING190:53:33
1936NELSONJosieGBR160:53:59
2041WADSWORTHMaddieGBR160:54:12
2122DOBBELAEREJanaBEL220:55:44
2238LYNNMarieGBR180:56:21
2318KUIJPERElodieNED180:57:02
2431ROMBOUTSTineBEL18-1 LAP
2520BROUWERSJulieBEL16-1 LAP
2642DE VOSNeleBEL20-1 LAP
2733GREENHALGHLilyGBR18-1 LAP
2827COOKEPoppyGBR17-2 LAPS
2928BLANCHAERTJoBEL48-3 LAPS
26NORBERT RIBEROLLEMarionFRA19DNF

2018 Koppenbergcross Photo Gallery – Elite Women:

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Van de Steene at the front before her first lap bobble. 2018 Koppenbergcross Elite Women. © Bart Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Van de Steene at the front before her first lap bobble. 2018 Koppenbergcross Elite Women. © Bart Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

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