20-year-old Belgian champion asserts herself in the sport that her countrymen dominate
Sanne Cant (BKCP-Powerplus) has only recently turned 20 years old, but can already be seen at the front of most women’s cyclocross races. She took the first of what looks likely to be many Belgian championships in January, and finally the red, yellow and black driekleur can be seen challenging that of the Netherlands; not to mention the stars and strips and rainbow jerseys of the US and World champions.
VeloNation caught up with the Belgian champion from Lille, in the province of Antwerpen, in between the two World Cup races of Kalmthout and Heusden-Zolder.
Cyclocross is huge in Belgium. Huge. But only really for the men it seems, as many spectators seem to use the time that the elite women’s race is on to go to the bar or maybe find a good spot on the barriers in advance of the main event. While it can be frustrating to get taken seriously, riders are simply used to the situation.
“When I think about it, it feels a little bit annoying,” said Cant, “but I grew up with the way it is now. I’m trying to make it better for women’s cycling, but it's not easy because also the media have to help me.”
While they are still definitely overlooked, by the media as well as by the public, Belgian women are beginning to see an improvement in recognition; successes of Belgian women in the big races, like Grace Verbeke (Lotto Ladies) winning the Ronde van Vlaanderen this year, are making some people sit up and take notice.
“At this moment it's a lot better than a few years ago,” she said. “Thanks to Grace Verbeke, Liesbet De Vocht and a little bit of me…”
Certainly, for Cant, the fact that she is racing in her highly visible champion’s jersey – the same colours that Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet) rides in – the predominantly Belgian crowds notice her much more.
“I think the jersey gives me more support,” she said, “the people know you better when you are champion.”
Before stepping into the Belgian flag in January, Cant could be seen in the standard team jersey of BKCP-Powerplus; the same team as 2009 World champion Niels Albert. As the only woman in cyclocross to be riding for one of the big men’s teams, Cant can enjoy a little of the profile that this affords.
“Of course!” she laughed, “BKCP-Powerplus is a great team in the cyclocross world, so I'm really proud that I can be a part of it! I don’t think there are benefits to being the only girl in a team, but there are benefits that I'm in such a huge cyclocross team.”
One obvious advantage of riding for the same team as the former World champion is that she gets to ride on the same equipment. Cant can be seen astride the same Shimano Di2 equipped Stevens Carbon Team frame as Albert rides; many in women’s cycling have to make do with lesser, and older, kit.
“I'm happy that my team give me good material,” she said, but like most riders she emphasised that it is not the only important thing. But you always have to pedal with your legs!” she laughed.
With a background that includes mountainbiking, where she is a multiple Belgian champion in various age groups, Cant has yet to make a serious attempt to achieve much on the road. With many men, including 2008 World champion Lars Boom and possibly current rainbow jersey Zdenek Stybar, crossing over to the tarmac though, she has not ruled it out herself.
“The Ronde says something to me,” she said. “But first a want to reach my goals in ‘cross. After that maybe I’m going to ride on the road.”
Cant’s current season has gone largely how the previous one left off, with the 20-year-old challenging for the podium in most races. Although she suffered a slight dip in form, the results are now consistently coming for her. “The beginning of the season was not how I expected,” she said, “but now it's going better.”
Although she has made the podium on a number of occasions this year, notably a slightly unlucky second behind British champion Helen Wyman (Kona-FSA) in the Koppenbergcross, and third place in last weekend’s Fidea Scheldecross Cant names her best result of the year as “the 4th place in the World Cup of Koksijde.”
This result, so agonisingly close the podium, just 35 seconds behind third place Sanne Van Paassen (Brainwash), was certainly better than that in the same race in 2009. Last year she was caught up in the same first corner crash as US champion Katie Compton (Planet Bike) and hit the mud head first.
Perhaps this year’s Koksijde result also has something to do with the fact that, as the Vlaamse Duinencross, the race takes place on the sand dunes of the Flemish coast.
“I love sand,” she said, “but also snow and mud is fun.”
Unsurprisingly the rest of the season will see Cant chasing her first World Cup podium spot – she has three more chances in Heusden-Zolder this weekend, Pont-Château, France on January 16th, and Hoogerheide, Netherlands on January 23rd. After that she will take aim at the World championships in St-Wendel, Germany on January 30th.
In the long term Sanne Cant is ambitious to get to the top. “I want to be World Champion,” she concluded, “and I want to go to the Olympic games.”