Amandine Fouquenet (Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriesbouw) continued her strong run of festive form with another victory on Saturday as she soloed to her second Superprestige victory in the past fortnight in Gullegem.
With the race proceeding without several of cyclo-cross’s biggest names, such as Puck Pieterse and Lucinda Brand, Fouquenet lined up as the favourite for glory at her sixth Superprestige outing of the season.
Results since her Superperstige win in Heusden-Zolder have included two World Cup podium places in Gavere and Dendermonde, while in Gullegem she soloed away on the penultimate lap of six to record another win.
Behind her, it was Marion Norbert Riberolle (Crelan-Corendon) who came out second best in what turned into a duel for victory during the later laps of the race. She had made the move at the front, which had seen the pair go clear on lap four, but had no answer to Fouquenet’s acceleration on lap five.
Norbert Riberolle came home nine seconds down on Fouquenet, while, further back, 18-year-old Canadian racer Rafaelle Carrier (Pivot Cycles) completed the podium with an impressive ride 11 seconds down.
Back to the start of the race, and it was Fouquenet who stated her intentions early, moving to the front on the very first lap to set the pace. Behind her, a small group including Zoe Bäckstedt (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto) and Aniek van Alphen (Seven Racing) followed.
Norbert Riberolle had initially missed the split at the front but was back in touch by lap two along with several others.
It was there that Fouquenet made another move, pushing on as Van Alphen made a mistake, which let the gap go. Fouquenet was away and built a gap nearing the 10-second mark at the midway mark.
The elite group she had been with formed the chase behind the Frenchwoman along with Carrier and several others, though Norbert Riberolle and Van Alphen would be the only riders who managed to make the catch at the front.
On lap four, Norbert Riberolle saw a chance to make a move and took it, accelerating away at the front while Fouquenet matched her pace. Van Alphen got back on, too, before dropping again later, though it was Fouquenet who prevailed in what ended up as a two-woman battle for race glory after the Dutchwoman dropped back.
Results
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