US champion flies through the jetlag to extend World Cup lead with her third Koksijde victory
Katie Compton (Trek Cyclocross Collective) managed to overcome jetlag to take her second victory in the 2012/13 Cyclocross World Cup, as she rode solo to win the Duinencross in Koksijde, Belgium. The US champion took the lead on the opening lap and continued alone, to finish 1’27” clear of Nikki Harris (Telenet-Fidea).
Victory for Compton - who won the 2008 and 2010 editions of the sand dune race - was all the more remarkable for the fact that she had only recently flown into Europe from her home in Colorado.
“I was pretty tired today, still recovering from the jetlag, and I tend to be a lot more clumsy when I’m tired,” she explained to the TV cameras after the race. “It was a struggle to maintain technique, and it was showing today.”
That tiredness saw Compton come down in the sand of the Koksijde dunes, but her lead was sufficient over Harris for it not to matter.
“I tried to stay consistent, go as smooth as possible, and jump off the bike right before falling down,” Compton said. “The sand was just wet enough to be heavy, but not quite heavy enough to leave a rut.”
The Koksijde victory was Compton’s 12th this season - although most have been in the United States - with her only defeat coming at the hands of Rabobank Giant’s Sanne van Paassen in the first World Cup round in Tabor, Czech Republic. The TV interviewer reminded the American that World champion Marianne Vos (Rabobank Giant) is making her season debut in tomorrow’s Superprestige in Gieten, Netherlands.
Vos raced an almost perfect season in 2011/12 - albeit somewhat shorter than Compton’s - but the US champion was unimpressed by the inference that the Dutch all-rounder was set to just step in ahead of her.
“I’m feeling good and I just want to be consistent, and hopefully the rest of the season will be just as fast,” she said.