British champion Nikki Harris (Young Telenet-Fidea) continued her run of podium places after finishing third in Namur at the fourth round of the 2013/14 UCI Cyclo-Cross World Cup.
Harris, who has finished third, second and third respectively in the opening three rounds, is currently second overall ahead of the fifth round of the World Cup in Heusden-Zolder on Boxing Day.
She trails defending champion Katie Compton (Trek) by 45 points, after the American won her third consecutive race thanks to a stunning comeback from a poor start in the Citadel.
World champion Marianne Vos (Rabobank) on her return to competition after minor surgery, attacked first and earned a significant lead but Compton showed phenomenal strength to catch the Dutchwoman.
And perhaps benefitting from having more racing in her legs, it was the American who attacked again and eventually rolled in 40 seconds clear.
Vos held off the challenge of Harris to finish second, while the British champion rounded off an elite podium.
Compatriot Helen Wyman (Kona Factory) suffered an early crash however, and had to settle for tenth place, while fellow Brit Gabby Durrin (Rapha Focus) is now 11th overall after finishing 16th in Namur.
In the men’s race, French champion Francis Mourey (FDJ.fr) soloed to victory after attacking at the midway point with Niels Albert (BKCP) outsprinting Belgian legend Sven Nys (Crelan) to take third behind compatriot Klaas Vantornout (Sunweb-Napoleon Games).
Overall leader Lars van der Haar (Rabobank) finished fifth after recovering from an early crash, while British champion Ian Field (Hargroves Cycles) finished 30th.
UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup 2013/14: round four – Namur
Men’s result
1) Francis Mourey (FRA) – FDJ.fr in 1:00:49hrs
2) Klaas Vantornout (BEL) – Sunweb-Napoleon Games +24″
3) Niels Albert (BEL) – BKCP-Powerplus +30″
4) Sven Nys (BEL) – Crelan-KDL +35
5) Lars van der Haar (NED) – Rabobank +36″
6) Tom Meeusen (BEL) – Telenet-Fidea +41″
7) Thijs van Amerongen (NED) – AA Drink +52″
8) Lubomir Petrus (CZE) – BKCP-Powerplus +54″
9) Philipp Walsleben (GER) – BKCP-Powerplus same time
10) Julien Taramarcaz (SUI) – BMC Mountainbike Racing +59″
Women’s result
1) Katie Compton (USA) – Trek in 36:47mins
2) Marianne Vos (NED) – Rabobank Women +40″
3) Nikki Harris (GBR) – Young Telenet-Fidea +46″
4) Eva Lechner (ITA) – Team Colnago Sudtirol +1’20”
5) Pauline Ferrand Prevot (FRA) – Rabobank Women +1’23”
6) Sanne Cant (BEL) – Enertherm-BKCP +1’34”
7) Kaitlin Antonneau (USA) – Cannondale +1’47”
8) Ellen Van Loy (BEL) – DNCS +2’07”
9) Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (FRA) – BH-SR Suntour-KMC +2’43”
10) Helen Wyman (GBR) – Kona Factory Racing +2’45”
