Sanne Cant (Crelan-Corendon) soloed to her first victory of the 2024-25 season at the Cyclocross Otegem on Monday, the Belgian veteran going clear on the final lap after a battle with Aniek van Alphen (Seven Racing).
After Van Alphen rolled home 12 seconds down, newly crowned Belgian champion Marion Norbert Riberolle (Crelan-Corendon) came home to round out the podium at 26 seconds, rounding out a successful day for the green-clad team.
British rider Anna Kay (Proximus-Cyclis-Alphamotorhomes) was the quickest rider at the start of the women's event, which was missing a number of the top Dutch names, including Lucinda Brand, Fem van Empel, and Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado.
She was joined at the front in a group of eight by the end of the opening lap, however, with Cant, Van Alphen and Riberolle all up there among the leaders.
No major ruptures appeared on the second lap, though Cant and Van Alphen did show their strength on the third. The pair went clear at the beginning of that circuit, leaving Riberolle attempting to make up the gap on her own.
She wouldn't stick with the lead duo, however, instead ceding a 30-second gap to Cant and Van Alphen as they started the final lap. Up front, it was left to a duel to decide the victory, with the 35-year-old Cant ultimately proving the stronger woman and breaking away to claim a solo win before her retirement come season's end.
Further back, Riberolle was battling Julie Brouwers (Carles Liégeois Roasters) for the final spot on the podium. The Crelan-Corendon racer eventually came out on top at the death, beating out Brouwers by a solitary second.
Results
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