The woman widely regarded as the best rider in the world has stormed to victory at Zolder in the sixth round of the UCI Cyclo-Cross World Cup.
Reigning world cyclo-cross champion, Marianne Vos (Rabobank), destroyed the field on the Zolder motor racing circuit, finishing over a minute ahead of series leader, Katie Compton (Trek).
Vos, riding only her second ‘cross race of the season after recovering from a road campaign that brought her the world and Olympic road race titles, Tweeted after the race that she was pleased with her World Cup victory, describing it as a, “second Christmas”.
The Dutchwoman will start as hot favourite to defend her world championship in Kentucky on February 3, 2013.
Britain had two riders in the top 10 in the form of Nikki Harris (Telenet-Fidea) who finished sixth, and national champion, Helen Wyman (Kona), who was seventh.
Harris is now second in the overall standings with two rounds to go, but over 100 points behind Compton.
In the elite men’s race, Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet-Euphony) won the third race of his 2012-13 World Cup campaign.
The Belgian national champion, who has now won half of this season’s World Cup events, shares the overall lead with two rounds remaining.
Defending World Cup holder, Kevin Pauwels (Sunweb-Revor) was second, and is second in the series, with the same tally as Nys, but fewer victories.
Double world champion, Zdenek Stybar (Omega Pharma-QuickStep), was third.
His successor in the rainbow stripes of world champion, Niels Albert (BKCP-Powerplus), finished only fifth at Zolder, and while he remains third in the overall standings, he is now 21 points behind Nys and Pauwels.
UCI Cyclo-Cross World Cup 2012-13: round six – Zolder
Elite men
1) Sven Nys (BEL) – Landbouwkrediet-Euphony – 1.05.15
2) Niels Albert (BEL) – BKCP-Powerplus +16”
3) Zdenek Stybar (CZE) – Omega Pharma-Quickstep +33”
4) Radomir Simunek (CZE) – BKCP-Powerplus +41”
5) Kevin Pauwels (BEL) – Sunweb-Revor +46”
6) Rob Peeters (BEL) – Telenet-Fidea +50”
7) Lars Van Der Haar (NED) – Rabobank-Giant
8) Tom Meeusen (BEL) – Telenet-Fidea +58”
9) Bart Aernouts (BEL) – AA Drink-Leontien.Nl +1.05
10) Marcel Meisen (GER) – BKCP-Powerplus +1.13
Elite women
1) Marianne Vos (NED) – Rabobank Women – 39.36
2) Katherine Compton (USA) – Trek +1.10
3) Sanne Cant (BEL) – Veldritacademie Enertherm-BKCP +1.15
4) Katerina Nash (CZE) – Luna +1.35
5) Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (FRA) – BH-SR Suntour-Peisey Vallandry +1.49
6) Nikki Harris (GBR) – Young Telenet-Fidea +2.17
7) Helen Wyman (GBR) – Kona +2.32
8) Pauline Ferrand Prevot (FRA) – Rabobank +2.36
9) Ellen Van Loy (BEL) +2.42
10) Jasmin Achermann (SWI) – Rapha-Focus +2.44
