Colorado Springs, CO - CTS Athlete, coach, and three-time US National Cyclocross Champion Katie Compton proved she can win on both sides of the Atlantic on Sunday in Pijnacker, Netherlands, by winning her first UCI Cyclocross World Cup event. Racing through thick mud and against a strong field, Compton rode to a convincing win wearing the blue skinsuit reserved for the top-ranked rider in UCI points.

The wet and muddy conditions in Pijnacker were a far cry from the mostly dry conditions Compton has raced in thus far this season, but in the very first lap it was clear her technical skills were up to the challenge. Even Daphny Van Den Brand, the recently-crowned European Cyclocross Champion and winner of the previous World Cup event in Kalmthout, Belgium, couldn’t hold the furious pace set by the American champion. Compton opened up a sizable gap to her competitors by the end of the first lap, and never looked back. She gradually built on her lead throughout the 40-minute race, winning by 54 seconds over Van Den Brand.

Her coach, CTS Premier Coach Craig Griffin, commented, “Katie’s won a lot of races, but there’s something special about winning a World Cup race. It was a big goal for her this year, not only because it’s an important victory, but also because it’s an important step toward achieving her ultimate goal of winning the World Championship in January.”

With her win in Pijnacker, Compton became the second American woman to win a UCI Cyclocross World Cup event. Fellow CTS Athlete and Colorado Springs resident Alison Dunlap won a World Cup race at the Grand Prix des Pays-Bas, Heerlen, Netherlands, in 2002. A Mountain Bike World Champion in 2001 and two-time Olympian, the now-retired Dunlap was coached by CTS Premier Coach Dean Golich.

Source: Kevin Dessart