If there was any doubting Marianne Vos’ position as the world’s best cyclist, the Dutch rider provided further proof by storming to victory in the opening round of the 2013/14 UCI Cyclo-Cross World Cup.

Fresh from winning a third world road race title in Tuscany last month, the 26-year-old made a seamless switch to knobbly tyres to claim a dominant victory in Valkenburg.

In the men’s race, 22-year-old Lars van den Haar showed why is a cyclo-cross star of the future by stunning the world-leading Belgians to take victory on home soil.

Meanwhile, British national Ian Field, who is Great Britain’s sole male representative at elite World Cup level, secured a 19th place finish to record the best result of his career to date.

With rain, mud and unforgiving climbs aplenty, photographer Balint Hamvas was on hand to capture the events of the opening day of the new season.