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RACE REPORTS: CYCLOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: STYBAR AND VOS REIGN
Road Bike Action
January 31, 2010
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(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
Zdenek Stybar rode to a solo victory to claim the rainbow jersey in front of a home crowd in Sunday’s men’s cyclocross world championships. Stybar dominated the race after a first lap mechanical caused him to change bikes and pushed him down to 12th place. With Stybar forced to swap bikes, Belgian Klaas Vantornout took the lead and held it through the end of the first lap.
On the second lap a lead group of seven formed at the front. The lead group included Stybar and his teammate Radomir Simunek, French rider Mourey, Belgian teammates Kevin Pauwels and Vantornout, Swiss rider Christian Heule and Sevn Nys. Notably absent from the group was world champ Niels Albert who was riding in 11th place six seconds back.
By the end of the third lap the lead group had shattered with four riders going clear. The group of Stybar, Vantornout, Heule and Mourey opened a gap with a Belgian led chase group behind. Fearing being out numbered by the Belgians if caught; Stybar attacked hard on the fourth lap and went clear.
Stybar quickly opened an 18-second gap to Vantornout and Heule as Frenchman Mourey dropped back. With Stybar off the front the battle for the last podium spots heated up with Nys moving up to second before crashing and allowing Vantornout to get past for second
Tim Johnson was the best-placed American in 14th at 2:28. Jamey Driscoll was 19th at 3:07 back. Jonathan Page suffered with mechanicals and finished in 30th at 4:05.
Elite Men
1. Zdenek Stybar (Czech Republic) 1:08:58
2. Klaas Vantornout (Belgium) @ .21
3. Sven Nys (Belgium) @ .38
4. Martin Bina (Czech Republic) @ .40
5. Francis Mourey (France) @ .56
6. Martin Zlamalik (Czech Republic) @ 1:02
7. Christian Heule (Switzerland) @ 1:07
8. Radomir Simunek (Czech Republic) @ 1:18
9. Gerben De Knegt (Netherlands) @ 1:49
10. Bart Wellens (Belgium) @ 2:13
 Vos takes her third world cyclocross title (Photo: Roberto Bettini)
Women’s Race
Marianne Vos led from start to finish to win her third world cyclocross title in snowy and icy conditions in Tabor, Czech Republic. The first lap of the women’s race was marred by a first corner crash that saw pre-race favorite Katerina Nash go down. Marianne Vos and Dutch teammate Daphny Van den Brand made through the chaos and set the early pace with Hanka Kupfernagel in tow.
American Katie Compton started the race despite still suffering from the leg cramps that forced her out of the final two rounds of the World Cup. Compton quickly went backward in the opening lap and dropped out during lap two.
Vos powered clear during the second lap of the race. By the end of the lap, Kupfernagel was the only rider still within striking distance, following Vos through the start-finish area nine seconds behind.
By the end of the third lap, Vos opened her lead on Kupfernagel to 24-seconds, with Van den Brand holding on to third at 41-seconds down. Nash was chasing hard but on lap four crashed, ending her chances of a podium finish. With her gap well-established Vos cruised home for the victory.
Elite Women
1. Marianne Vos (Netherlands) 0:42:59
2. Hanka Kupfernagel (Germany) @ .45
3. Daphny Van Den Brand (Netherlands) @ 1:02
4. Katerina Nash (Czech Republic) @ 1:20
5. Eva Lechner (Italy) @ 1:41
6. Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (France) @ 1:47
7. Caroline Mani (France) @ 1:53
8. Pauline Ferrand Prevot (France) @ 2:11
9. Sanne Van Paassen (Netherlands) @ 2:28
10. Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (France) @ 2:31
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