Aerts, Vos continue UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup leads after Koksijde

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Toon Aerts (Telenet Fidea Lions) and Marianne Vos (WaowDeals) continue to lead their respective elite categories in the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup series after the fifth round on Sunday in Koksijde, Belgium.

Aerts won the first two rounds of the series in the US in Waterloo and Iowa City, and consistently placed in the top four in the next three rounds; third in Bern, fourth in Tabor and third in Koksijde.

He leads the series with 350 points after the Koksijde round. World champion Wout van Aert finished second in Koksijde and so moved a few points closer to his rival in the standings, now 22 points behind. Quinten Hermans (Telenet Fidea Lion) is in third place at 86 point back.

In the elite men's race in Koksijde, Mathieu van der Poel won his third World Cup, this time ahead of Van Aert and Aerts. Despite his success, he is only positioned seventh in the series standings because he missed the first two rounds in the US.

Vos continues to narrowly maintain her lead with 264 points, just nine points ahead of world champion Sanne Cant (Corendon-Circus). Ellen Van Loy (Telenet Fidea Lions) at 20 points back.

She had a subpar performance in the elite women's race in Koksijde where she placed 12th, while Denise Betsema (Marlux-Bingoal) took the win ahead of Nikki Brammeier (Mudiita) and Annemarie Worst (Steylaerts-777).

Earlier in the season, however, Vos won the World Cup rounds in Waterloo and Bern, and placed third in Iowa City. She didn’t compete in the round in Tabor.

The UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup will take a short break and resume in Namur on December 12, and further rounds follow in Heusden Zolder on December 26, Pont-Chateau on January 20 and Hoogerheide on January 27.

2018 UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup standings after Koksijde - Brief Results