The Koksijde dunes hold their place in cycling lore alongside the hairpins of Alpe d’Huez and the cobbles of the Arenburg Trench.

Riders able to negotiate its momentum-suffocating challenge and remain in contention are among the strongest and best that even the super tough world of cyclo-cross has to offer.

Little surprise then that Sven Nys ran out the winner in the men’s race, his sixth on the legendary Flandrian course, while Katie Compton contiuned to stake her claim as the dominant women’s ‘cross racer this season.

Compton won’t have things all her own way if the weekend’s efforts of Nikki Harris and Helen Wyman are a guide. Harris finished second in Koksijde, while Wyman beat the returning Marianne Vos in the Superprestige the following day.

Here’s a gallery of images from Koksijde from Balint Hamvas, one of the finest photographers covering the ‘cross scene.