Daphny Van Den Brand (ZZPR.nl) won the Sluitingsprijs in Oostmalle, Belgium, the final race of the Gazet van Antwerpen (GvA) Trofee, outspinting Sanne Cant (BKCP-Powerplus) in a two-woman sprint. Helen Wyman (Kona-FSA) was the best of the rest, outsprinting Hanka Kupfernagel (Stevens) to take third place 5 seconds behind them.
"It was a hard race," said Van den Brand to Sport.be after the race. "I was hanging on for a while in the fourth, fifth position, and didn’t have the strength to move. In the closing laps, I found some though and I could attack; Cant answered it. I even managed a small attack later, but Sanne fought back and so it came to a sprint.
“I'm had to dig really deep, but I am so glad that after all the misery of the past weeks and months my season could end with a victory. Meanwhile, I also decided to go on for another year. After such rotten season I couldn’t say goodbye."
The race was dominated by Van Den Brand, Cant, Wyman, Kupfernagel and Sanne Van Paassen (Brainwash), as he five riders pulled away from the rest early on. At one point Cant and Kupfernagel were able to escape the others but were hampered by some lapped riders and were rejoined.
One by one the group of five became four, then three, and then two; Van Den Brand tried to escape but Cant wouldn’t let her get away and the two riders headed for the sprint.
“Too bad I just missed the race victory,” said Cant to Sport.be, “but against a former World and European champion losing is no disgrace. When I came to the finish with Daphny, I knew it was a toss-up.”
Although Cant missed out on the victory, second place secures a first victory in the overall GvA Trofee for the Belgian champion.
"This victory is proof that I have achieved consistency for the whole season,” she said. “In those five races I never finished outside the top four.
“They used to always say that I needed the sand crosses, but his season I have proved that I am becoming level with the best on the other courses.
"I have a nice set now: third in 2009, second in 2010 and now the victory; hopefully it will be along time before I go back down again!”
Result GvA Trofee Oostmalle
1. Daphny Van Den Brand (Ned) ZZPR.nl
2. Sanne Cant (Bel) BKCP-Powerplus
3. Helen Wyman (GBr) Kona-FSA @ 5s
4. Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) Stevens
5. Sanne Van Paassen (Ned) Brainwash Wielerploeg @ 16s
6. Pavla Havliokova (Cze) APB Cycling Team @ 1’17”
7. Nikki Harris (GBr) APB Cycling Team @ 1’30”
8. Arenda Grimberg (Ned) Merida
9. Joyce Vanderbeken (Bel) @ 1’41”
10. Reza Hormes-Ravenstijn (Ned) ZZPR.nl @ 2’03”
Final GvA Trofee standings
1. Sanne Cant (Bel) BKCP-Powerplus 105pts
2. Daphny van den Brand (Ned) ZZPR.nl 94
3. Helen Wyman (GBr) Kona-FSA 91
4. Sanne van Paassen (Ned) Brainwash Wielerploeg 76
5. Pavla Havlikova (Cze) APB Cycling Team 71