Nys, Compton continue to lead UCI cyclo-cross standings

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Three weeks of racing have taken place since the previous tabulation of the UCI Cyclo-cross rankings, but world champion Sven Nys (Crelan-KDL) and World Cup leader Katie Compton (Trek Cyclocross Collective) continue to lead their respective elite men's and elite women's standings. Belgium's Yannick Peeters, the reigning European champion, leads the junior men's standings.

The highlight for Nys's recent race results were back-to-back victories in the C1-rated races at the GP Hasselt (November 16), the third round of the bpost bank trofee, and the fourth round of the Superprestige series in Gavere, contested the following day. This past weekend, however, Nys abandoned the Superprestige round in Gieten due to a mechanical and the previous day he finished fourth at the third World Cup round in the sands of Koksijde, Belgium. As a result his leading point tally in the rolling, 12-month tabulation dropped slightly to 2,008.

Nys's closest rival in the UCI 'cross standings, Niels Albert (BKCP-Powerplus), however, won both of the previous weekend's races and narrowed the gap to Nys to 70 points. Belgians hold the top-three positions in the standings with Kevin Pauwels (Sunweb-Napoleon Games) in third at 1,772 points with Dutch champion and World Cup leader Lars van der Haar (Rabobank Development Team) the first non-Belgian in the standings in fourth at 1,710 points. There was stability at the upper reaches of the standings as the top-10 riders maintained their positions.

The USA's Jeremy Powers (Rapha-Focus) is the top North American rider in the standings at 21st place with 657 points, just one point ahead of compatriot Tim Johnson (Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld) in 22nd place.

Belgium continues it's lengthy reign as best nation for elite men with its points tally of 5,718, while the Netherlands remains in second at 3,207 points. There was a slight shuffling in the following three positions as Germany moved from fourth to third with 2,363 points and Switzerland moved from fifth to fourth at 2,257 points. The Czech Republic, previously third, dropped to fifth at 2,198 points.

Nine-time US champion Katie Compton strengthened her lead in the elite women's standings following an emphatic victory in the third World Cup round in Koksijde, Belgium on Saturday, the 18th World Cup win of her career. Compton, also the World Cup leader, extended her lead over world champion Marianne Vos (Rabobank Liv/Giant) to 565 points. Vos is in the midst of a break during 'cross season and won't return to competition until late December.

European champion Helen Wyman (Kona) remained in third at 1,632 points while Belgian champion Sanne Cant, second in the Koksijde World Cup and a winner of Jaarmarktcross Niel on November 11, edged ahead of British champion Nikki Harris (Young Telenet-Fidea) for third fourth place, 1,538 to 1,506 points.

The top six nations for elite women remained the same, with Great Britain leading the standings with 3,947 points. The Netherlands holds second at 3,715 points followed by the United States in third at 3,382 points.

Belgium's Yannick Peeters holds a commanding lead in the junior men's standings with 126 points, nearly twice as many as his nearest rival, the Czech Republic's Adam Toupalik, who moved from 4th to 2nd with 64 points.

Since winning the European championship on November 3rd Peeters has shown impressive form with three straight victories in the Superprestige rounds at Hamme-Zogge, Gavere and Gieten plus a runner-up result to compatriot Kobe Goossens at the Koksijde World Cup round. During that same time period Toupalik added to his points tally with a fifth place at the Koksijde World Cup followed the next day by a third place result at Superprestige Gieten. The top-three in the junior men's standings is completed by Belgium's Eli Iserbyt, who holds steady in third with 59 points.

The USA's Cooper Willsey is the top North American rider with 33 points for 8th place overall.

Belgium maintains its top position in the junior men's nation standings at 243 points, followed by France in second at 97 points. The United States moved from fourth to third at 94 points.