Helen Wyman began her 2014 UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup campaign with a defiant second place as the series got underway in Valkenburg, Netherlands.
Wyman - who finished fifth in the world cup last season - started strongly and set the pace on the first lap of five.
On lap two she was joined by Nikki Harris and for a time, it was a British one-two at the head of the race, in a group which also contained Belgium's Sophie De Boer, Sanne Kant and Ellen Van Loy.
The fourth lap would prove decisive, as 2013/14 world cup winner Katie Compton recovered from an early mechanical and joined the leaders.
Immediately applying pressure at the front, only European champion Wyman could follow, but Compton was clearly the strongest rider in the race, recovering from an early 40-second deficit to take the win by 13-seconds from an optimistic Wyman.
I told you all I love this race!! Ha ha good day today. Tried so hard, sweated so much was a fun day.
— Helen Wyman (@CXHelen) October 19, 2014
Further back, Nikki Harris took a pragmatic view of a race which she once led, before finishing sixth.
Hard day at the office ! 1st to 6th with 2 laps to go Legs exploded ! feeling better every race #keeptrying #worldcup #cyclocross
— Nikki Harris (@Nikkiharris86) October 19, 2014
Hannah Payton finished 30th, with Ian Field matching her result in the elite men's race, albeit under extenuating circumstances.
Only positive I can take from that is I finished. Not ideal trying to race with a sickness bug but got some points on the board. 30th.
— Ian Field (@FieldyCX) October 19, 2014
In the men's under-23 race, Ben Sumner finished 22nd, one lap down.
The 2014 UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup resumes on November 22, on the sand dunes of Koksijde, Belgium.
Results:
