The 2017-2018 Telenet UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup got underway with the Jingle Cross in Iowa City, USA. Raced in hot conditions, the dry, fast course was in stark contrast to the mudfest the riders encountered in Iowa last year.
Katerina Nash (CLIF Pro Team) attacked halfway through the race on Mount Krumpit to win solo in the Women’s race. Kaitlin Keough (Cylance Pro Cycling) was 2nd, while UCI World Champion Sanne Cant (Beobank-Corendon) won the sprint for third place from last year’s overall UCI World Cup winner Sophie de Boer (Parkhotel Valkenburg-Destil Cycling Team). US Champion Katherine Compton marked Nash’s move but crashed hard on the descent, and finished 19th. Eleventh-placed Emma White (USA) was the first Women Under-23 rider.
In the Elite Men’s race, Dutch Champion Mathieu van der Poel (Beobank-Corendon) demolished the opposition, blasting away on the first ascent of Mount Krumpit. The 22-year-old Dutch ace finished 43 seconds ahead of a Belgian duo, 23-year-old Laurens Sweeck (ERA-Circus) and 22-year-old Quinten Hermans (Telenet Fidea Lions). Wout Van Aert (Crelan-Charles), last year’s overall UCI World Cup winner and World Champion, performed below par at the Johnson County Fairgrounds. The Belgian rider referred to his race as a ‘sufferfest’ and finished in 14th position at 2:32 from the winner.
Results & standings
Telenet UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup round 2: Waterloo (USA,) September 24
Last year’s results
No World Cup round was held in Waterloo last year. However, C1 and C2 races were organised. Wout Van Aert and Kaitlin Keough won the C1 races.
For the first time, the Telenet UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup visits Waterloo. For a few years now, multiple cyclo-cross races have been organised on the course next to the factories and offices of Trek. The Trek CXC Cup features multiple events held from Wednesday through until Sunday. On Sunday, the top events of the weekend are held with races for Elite Men and Women, and equal prize money for the two categories. The course is quite technical but fast, with a mixture of meadow and forest. There are a few off-camber sections, barriers and a set of stairs.
Kaitlin Keough, recently married to fellow pro cyclist Luke Keough, combines cyclo-cross with road riding and mountain biking. She performs best on climbs. The 25-year-old American’s second place at Jingle Cross was her third UCI World Cup podium. She has enjoyed three top-10 finishes at the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championship in 2013, 2016 and 2017. Keep an eye on her during the second round of the UCI World Cup in Waterloo as she won the two previous editions of the Trek CXC Cup in Waterloo.