Bieles: Cant crowned women's CX world champion

Published January 28, 2017 11:08AM

After two years of podium finishes, Sanne Cant (BEL) finally rode her way to a world title with a thrilling come-from-behind victory over seven-time champion Marianne Vos (NED) over an icy course at the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships in Bieles, Luxembourg on Saturday.

“I can’t believe it, the jersey is mine for a whole year,” said an emotional Cant after the race. “I dreamed of it since I was six years old and that was 20 years ago. I really can’t believe I beat Marianne Vos, she is a seven-time world champion … it is the most incredible day of my life.”

“It’s the first title to Belgium, first woman’s title ever,” she claimed. “So I make history today.”

After a fierce first half of the race between race leaders Vos, Lucinda Brand (NED), Eva Lechner (ITA) and Katerina Nash (CZE), things looked up for Cant, who had rallied back into second place, until a mishap at the bottom of a hairpin descent on lap 4 nearly cost her the race.

However, the 26-year-old remained calm and found herself back in the hunt after the Dutch champion, who is off two straight World Cup wins and looked to be on her way to a solo eighth world championship, had a mechanical midway through the final lap. The rivals swapped half a dozen leads with half a lap to go before an exhausted Vos was forced to concede the sprint win to Cant.

“I had a good feeling after my crash,” Cant explained. “My shoe was broken. I saw Marianne had trouble with her bike and I had a feeling I could win, but it was a really hard final and I am really happy with the win.”

“I’m a bit disappointed,” she told Belgian network Sporza. “You know anything can happen in such a race. It was a fierce duel. We matched each other today, and then it came down to the last lap.

“She’s technically the best in the pack, so it would be hard to beat her on this course.”

Earlier in the day, Annemarie Worst (NED) took the under-23 world championship crown over American Ellen Noble and defending world champion Evie Richards (GBR).

In men’s junior action, it was a podium clean sweep for Great Britain with Tom Pidcock taking the title over compatriots Daniel Tulett and Benjamin Turner.

Elite women’s results

1. Sanne CANT, (BEL), in 43:06

2. Marianne VOS, (NED), at +0:01

3. Katerina NASH, (CZE), at +0:21

4. Lucinda BRAND, (NED), at +0:21

5. Maghalie ROCHETTE, (CAN), at +0:36

6. Eva LECHNER, (ITA), at +0:53

7. Christine MAJURES, (LUX), at +1:21

8. Ellen VAN LOY, (BEL), +1:21

9. Nikki BRAMMEIER, (GBR), at +1:31

10. Kaitlin ANTONNEAU, (USA), at +1:46

11. Elle ANDERSON, (USA), at +2:29

12. Caroline MANI, (FRA), at +2:40

13. Amanda MILLER, (USA), at +2:49

14. Marlene PETIT, (FRA), at +2:53

15. Courtenay MCFADDEN, (USA), at +2:53

16. Helen WYMAN, (GBR), at +3:06

17. Alicia FRANCK, (BEL), at +3:12

18. Lucie CHAINEL, (FRA), at +3:19

19. Lucia GONZALEZ BLANCO, (ESP), at +3:29

20. Mical DYCK, (CAN), at +4:27

21. Rebecca FAHRINGER, (USA), at +4:49

22. Lise-Marie HENZELIN, (SUI), at +5:13

23. Nathalie LAMBORELLE, (LUX), at +5:51

24. Cindy MONTAMBAULT, (CAN), at +6:06

25. Magdalena SADLECKA, (POL), at +6:30

26. Jolien VERSCHUEREN, (BEL), at +6:36

27. Hannah PAYTON, (GBR), at +6:40

28. Stefanie PAUL, (GER), at +8:05

29. Eri YONAMINE, (JPN), at +8:15

30. Miho IMAI, (JPN)

31. Aida NUÑO PALACIO, (ESP)

32. Naomi WILLIAMS, (AUS)

33. Rikke LØNNE, (DEN)

34. Kristina THRANE, (DEN)

35. Waka TAKEDA, (JPN)

36. Rebecca LOCKE, (AUS)

37. Suzie GODART, (LUX)

U23 women’s results

1. Annemarie WORST, (NED), in 43:47

2. Ellen NOBLE, (USA), at 43:57

3. Evie RICHARDS, (GBR), at 44:13

4. Laura VERDONSCHOT, (BEL), at 44:55

5. Manon BAKKER, (NED), at 45:28

6. Nikola NOSKOVÁ, (CZE), at 45:31

7. Ceylin DEL CARMEN ALVARADO, (NED), at 46:04

8. Emma WHITE, (USA), at 46:24

9. Malene DEGN, (DEN), at 46:32

10. Inge VAN DER HEIJDEN, (NED), at 46:44

11. Ffion JAMES, (GBR), at 46:49

12. Hélène CLAUZEL, (FRA), at 47:13

13. Chiara TEOCCHI, (ITA), at 47:18

14. Nicole KOLLER, (SUI), at 47:20

15. Evita MUZIC, (FRA), at 47:44

16. Jana CZECZINKAROVÁ, (CZE), at 47:45

17. Lisa PASTEINER, (AUT), at 47:46

18. JADE WIEL, (FRA), at 48:40

19. Nadja HEIGL, (AUT), at 48:48

20. Silvia PERSICO, (ITA), at 49:01

21. Hannah ARENSMAN, (USA), at 49:08

22. Alicia GONZALEZ BLANCO, (ESP), at 49:10

23. Sara CASASOLA, (ITA), at 49:19

24. MAINA GALAND, (FRA), at 49:24

25. Olivia HOTTINGER, (SUI), at 49:40

26. Ruby WEST, (CAN), at 49:50

27. Nicole FEDE, (ITA), at 49:52

28. Kiyoka SAKAGUCHI, (JPN), at 50:02

29. Lara KRÄHEMANN, (SUI), at 50:15

30. Tereza VANÍCKOVÁ, (CZE), at 50:22

31. Amira MELLOR, (GBR), at 50:25

32. Agnieszka SZPOCINSKA, (POL), at 50:33

33. Jessica LAMBRACHT, (GER), at 50:44

34. Edie Antonia REES, (LUX), at 50:48

35. Patrycja SWIERCZYNSKA, (POL), at 51:01

36. Martina KUKULOVÁ, (CZE), at 51:44

37. Emma SWARTZ, (USA), at 51:55

38. Alba TERUEL RIBES, (ESP), at 52:00

39. Francesca BARONI, (ITA), at 52:36

40. Lindy VAN ANROOIJ, (NED)

41. Ashley ZOERNER, (USA)

42. Stacey RIEDEL, (AUS)

43. Olivia NENDICK, (AUS)

Junior men’s results

1. Thomas PIDCOCK, (GBR), in 41:24

2. Daniel TULETT, (GBR), at 42:02

3. Ben TURNER, (GBR), at 42:08

4. Loris ROUILLER, (SUI), at 42:16

5. Antoine BENOIST, (FRA), at 42:47

6. Jelle CAMPS, (BEL), at 43:01

7. Timo KIELICH, (BEL), at 43:19

8. Toon VANDEBOSCH, (BEL), at 43:20

9. Denzel STEPHENSON, (USA), at 43:31

10. Niklas MARKL, (GER), at 43:34

11. Ryan KAMP, (NED), at 43:34

12. Mauro SCHMID, (SUI), at 44:09

13. Erwann KERRAUD, (FRA), at 44:35

14. Yentl BEKAERT, (BEL), at 44:44

15. Jofre CULLELL ESTAPE, (ESP), at 44:45

16. Jeremy MONTAUBAN, (FRA), at 44:54

17. Lane MAHER, (USA), at 45:05

18. Tim WOLLENBERG, (GER), at 45:23

19. Thymen ARENSMAN, (NED), at 45:27

20. Maxime BONSERGENT, (FRA), at 45:28

21. Jan GAVENDA, (CZE), at 45:37

22. Gunnar HOLMGREN, (CAN), at 45:39

23. Wojciech CENIUCH, (POL), at 46:02

24. Bart HAZEKAMP, (NED), at 46:11

25. Brody SANDERSON, (CAN), at 46:11

26. Bart ARTZ, (NED), at 46:12

27. ŠImon VANÍCEK, (CZE), at 46:30

28. Mikkel BERTELSEN, (DEN), at 46:31

29. Erik FETTER, (HUN), at 46:37

30. Koutarou MURAKAMI, (JPN), at 46:42

31. Thomas MEIN, (GBR), at 47:07

32. Caleb SWARTZ, (USA), at 47:11

33. Calder WOOD, (USA), at 47:29

34. Tomáš KOPECKÝ, (CZE), at 47:31

35. Leonardo COVER, (ITA), at 47:32

36. Ross ELLWOOD, (USA), at 47:33

37. Radoslaw ROCLAWSKI, (POL), at 47:35

38. Niklas PATINO, (DEN), at 47:46

39. Nicola TAFFAREL, (ITA), at 47:48

40. Félix SCHREIBER, (LUX), at 47:54

41. David HONZÁK, (CZE), at 47:59

42. Ken CONTER, (LUX), at 48:04

43. Sam NOEL, (USA), at 48:24

44. Ivan FEIJOO ALBERTE, (ESP), at 48:29

45. Filippo FONTANA, (ITA), at 48:32

46. Noah SIMMS, (CAN), at 48:35

47. Alberto BRANCATI, (ITA), at 48:39

48. Misch LEYDER, (LUX), at 48:52

49. Bruno MARCHETTI, (ITA), at 50:54

50. Mees HENDRIKX, (NED), at 41:25

51. Adam BLAZEVIC, (AUS), at 41:25

52. Jb MURPHY, (IRL), at 41:25

53. Nicolas GUILLEMIN, (FRA), at 41:25

54. Oliver ERREBO, (DEN), at 41:25

55. Nicolas KESS, (LUX), at 41:25

56. Gustaf DARRASSON, (ISL), at 41:25

57. Luca BOCKELMANN, (GER), at 41:25

58. Lukas MARKL, (GER), at 41:26

59. Jakub SCHIERL, (CZE), at 41:26

60. Tristan PARROTTA, (LUX), at 41:26

61. David WESTHOFF-WITTWER, (GER), at 41:26

62. Jakub VARHANOVSKY, (SVK), at 41:26

63. Florian VERMEERSCH, (BEL), at 41:27