Maikel van der Vleuten and VDL Groep Quatro (Quaprice Bois Margot x Caletto I) went out on top in Saturday's prestigious and traditional CSIO5* La Baule Derby. 

A classic in the showjumping calendar, that is the Derby Région des Pays de La Loire which today had 25 riders lined up for the challenge. Two were eliminated, three retired and three withdrew and there was only one clear – from the winner – a testament to the difficulties the horses and riders meet in a proper derby as this with a difficult mixture of cross country obstacles such as ditches and banks together with traditional showjumping fences. 

The Dutch rider and the 11-year-old gelding VDL Groep Quatro impressed in La Baule today with their bravery around the derby course, to take the victory – joining the famous list of winners that include legends such as Raimondo d'Inzeo, Nelson Pessoa, Michel Robert and Patrice Delaveau to mention some.

Close behind trailed Belgium's Constant Van Paesschen, who kept all the fences intact on Hamlet VD Donkhoeve (Lord Z x No Limit) but outside the time allowed the pair had to add a time penalty to their final score and finished second.

Third place went to Germany's Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann who also fell victim of the clock with two time penalties on Chloe (Chippendale Z x Quicksilver), while Mathieu Billot and Philippe Rozier were the best home riders in fourth and fifth with four penalties each.