Hoogerheide decides World Cup Champions

After the final round in Hoogerheide, The Netherlands, Zdenek Stybar, Daphny Van den Brand, Tom Meeusen and David Van der Poel emerged from the 2009/2010 Cyclo-cross World Cup as the champions of their respective categories.

While Stybar and Meeusen were able to hold on to existing leads, Van den Brand's and Van der Poel's wins came as their rivals fell by the wayside on the final hurdles of the World Cup season. While Dutchman Van der Poel was the only overall Champion to record victory over the weekend, with a win in the junior men's race, his fellow title winners all faced hard-fought finales.

"I'm hurting all over," Fidea's Zdenek Stybar told Sporza. "It was a tough race. Niels [Albert] rode very strongly today; it was like day and night compared to last week [at the Roubaix World Cup round]. I did not feel very well today and made many mistakes."

Despite his assessment of the race, Stybar's second place was enough to secure a four-point victory over Albert in the World Cup standings. While the Belgian's win in The Netherlands saw him finish with a 4-3 advantage in terms of World Cup race victories, Stybar's consistency in the remaining events was the key to his title.

With US rider Katie Compton absent from the final two rounds of the women's World Cup series, Dutchwoman Van den Brand was able to assume an unassailable lead. Podium positions in all but two rounds put her in a position to contend for the title, and despite a late charge by her compatriot Marianne Vos - who claimed the final round on Sunday - Van den Brand's third was enough to secure the title with a five-point margin.

In contrast to the tight contests of his fellow title winners, Meeusen's victory was commanding, 70 points clear of Slovakia's Robert Gavenda. A race winner in Roubaix last week and Zolder in December, Meeusen was upstaged by Kacper Szczepaniak (Poland) in the final round, but will now head into the elite category with the under-23 World Cup title stamped on his palmares.

Van der Poel's victory in the junior men's race in Hoogerheide turned into a double celebration as his closest rival in the title race, compatriot Gert-Jan Bosman, faded to sixth.

World Championship favourite tag begins

With the World Cup finale doubling as a final hit-out for next weekend's Cyclo-cross World Championships in Tabor, Czech Republic, the favourites for the elite men have also started to jostle for the underdog tag.

World Cup winner Stybar will be charged to take a home championship victory, but pointed to Belgian rival Sven Nys as the man most likely to perform on what will be an icy Czech course.

"I hope to recover properly for the World Championships," Stybar told Sporza after today's race. "Sven Nys is the main favorite for me there. He is the strongest on ice."

Nys himself surprised observers with a fifth place finish in Hoogerheide, but deflected attention for next week's Worlds towards his compatriot and reigning champion, Albert. "It is clear that Albert is also a favorite in Tabor," he said. "He was very strong [today], but I hope I will play a role. It will be an exciting World Championships."

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Men's UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup final standings
1Zdenek Stybar (Czech Republic)635pts
2Niels Albert (Belgium)631Row 1 - Cell 3
3Sven Nys (Belgium)535Row 2 - Cell 3
4Klaas Vantornout (Belgium)517Row 3 - Cell 3
5Kevin Pauwels (Belgium)440Row 4 - Cell 3
6Gerben De Knegt (Netherlands)428Row 5 - Cell 3
7Bart Aernouts (Belgium)399Row 6 - Cell 3
8Erwin Vervecken (Belgium)376Row 7 - Cell 3
9Francis Mourey (France)366Row 8 - Cell 3
10Christian Heule (Switzerland)350Row 9 - Cell 3
11Enrico Franzoi (Italy)345Row 10 - Cell 3
12Radomir Simunek (Czech Republic)309Row 11 - Cell 3
13Martin Zlamalik (Czech Republic)307Row 12 - Cell 3
14Steve Chainel (France)300Row 13 - Cell 3
15Dieter Vanthourenhout (Belgium)282Row 14 - Cell 3
16Petr Dlask (Czech Republic)276Row 15 - Cell 3
17Martin Bina (Czech Republic)270Row 16 - Cell 3
18Jonathan Page (United States Of America)269Row 17 - Cell 3
19Mariusz Gil (Poland)258Row 18 - Cell 3
20Thijs Al (Netherlands)256Row 19 - Cell 3
21Sven Vanthourenhout (Belgium)253Row 20 - Cell 3
22Thijs Van Amerongen (Netherlands)251Row 21 - Cell 3
23Bart Wellens (Belgium)250Row 22 - Cell 3
24Marco Bianco (Italy)218Row 23 - Cell 3
25John Gadret (France)182Row 24 - Cell 3
26Kamil Ausbuher (Czech Republic)172Row 25 - Cell 3
27Marcel Wildhaber (Switzerland)161Row 26 - Cell 3
28Laurent Colombatto (France)158Row 27 - Cell 3
29Nicolas Bazin (France)152Row 28 - Cell 3
30Wilant Van Gils (Netherlands)151Row 29 - Cell 3
31Patrick Van Leeuwen (Netherlands)142Row 30 - Cell 3
32David Derepas (France)129Row 31 - Cell 3
33Jan Verstraeten (Belgium)126Row 32 - Cell 3
34Ondrej Bambula (Czech Republic)120Row 33 - Cell 3
35Eddy Van Ijzendoorn (Netherlands)116Row 34 - Cell 3
36Philipp Walsleben (Germany)113Row 35 - Cell 3
37Luca Damiani (Italy)107Row 36 - Cell 3
38Jérome Chevallier (France)106Row 37 - Cell 3
39Fabio Ursi (Italy)106Row 38 - Cell 3
40Christoph Pfingsten (Germany)103Row 39 - Cell 3
41Alessandro Gambino (Italy)98Row 40 - Cell 3
42Ian Field (Great Britain)74Row 41 - Cell 3
43Jonathan Lopez (France)71Row 42 - Cell 3
44Milan Barenyi (Slovakia)70Row 43 - Cell 3
45Lukas Flückiger (Switzerland)64Row 44 - Cell 3
46Jean-Pierre Drucker (Luxembourg)62Row 45 - Cell 3
47Rob Peeters (Belgium)59Row 46 - Cell 3
48Joachim Parbo (Denmark)57Row 47 - Cell 3
49Ivar Hartogs (Netherlands)56Row 48 - Cell 3
50Egoitz Murgoitio Rekalde (Spain)54Row 49 - Cell 3
51Johannes Sickmueller (Germany)53Row 50 - Cell 3
52Marco Aurelio Fontana (Italy)52Row 51 - Cell 3
53James Driscoll (United States Of America)52Row 52 - Cell 3
54Arnaud Labbe (France)47Row 53 - Cell 3
55Robert Glajza (Slovakia)44Row 54 - Cell 3
56Javier Ruiz De Larrinaga Ibanez (Spain)43Row 55 - Cell 3
57Pawel Szczepaniak (Poland)41Row 56 - Cell 3
58Marek Cichosz (Poland)40Row 57 - Cell 3
59Vaclav Metlicka (Slovakia)37Row 58 - Cell 3
60Robert Gavenda (Slovakia)35Row 59 - Cell 3
61Lukas Kloucek (Czech Republic)30Row 60 - Cell 3
62Elia Silvestri (Italy)29Row 61 - Cell 3
63Sascha Weber (Germany)28Row 62 - Cell 3
64Martin Haring (Slovakia)28Row 63 - Cell 3
65Vladimir Kyzivat (Czech Republic)27Row 64 - Cell 3
66Bram Schmitz (Netherlands)26Row 65 - Cell 3
67Roy Van Heeswijk (Netherlands)26Row 66 - Cell 3
68Sascha Wagner (Germany)26Row 67 - Cell 3
69Isaac Suarez Fernandez (Spain)25Row 68 - Cell 3
70Constantino Zaballa Gutierrez (Spain)24Row 69 - Cell 3
71Magnus Darvell (Sweden)24Row 70 - Cell 3
72René Lang (Switzerland)23Row 71 - Cell 3
73Marco Ponta (Italy)21Row 72 - Cell 3
74Jan Soetens (Belgium)20Row 73 - Cell 3
75Troy Wells (United States Of America)20Row 74 - Cell 3
76Timothy Johnson (United States Of America)19Row 75 - Cell 3
77Jody Crawforth (Great Britain)17Row 76 - Cell 3
78David Seco Amundarain (Spain)16Row 77 - Cell 3
79Andreas Moser (Switzerland)16Row 78 - Cell 3
80Unai Yus Kerejeta (Spain)15Row 79 - Cell 3
81Daniel Ruiz Echeandia (Spain)14Row 80 - Cell 3
82Jaroslav Kulhavy (Czech Republic)13Row 81 - Cell 3
83Zdenek Mlynar (Czech Republic)13Row 82 - Cell 3
84Ryan Trebon (United States Of America)12Row 83 - Cell 3
85Keiichi Tsujiura (Japan)11Row 84 - Cell 3
86Tommy Nielsen (Denmark)11Row 85 - Cell 3
87Gusty Bausch (Luxembourg)11Row 86 - Cell 3
88Julien Pion (France)10Row 87 - Cell 3
89Jens Westergren (Sweden)10Row 88 - Cell 3
90David Lozano Riba (Spain)9Row 89 - Cell 3
91Clément Bourgoin (France)9Row 90 - Cell 3
92Mike Garrigan (Canada)7Row 91 - Cell 3
93Paul Voss (Germany)6Row 92 - Cell 3
94Peter Presslauer (Austria)4Row 93 - Cell 3
95Marek Canecky (Slovakia)3Row 94 - Cell 3
96Paul Oldham (Great Britain)2Row 95 - Cell 3
97Zoltan Tisza (Hungary)2Row 96 - Cell 3
98Jean-Eudes Demaret (France)1Row 97 - Cell 3
99Rafael Visinelli (Italy)1Row 98 - Cell 3
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Women's UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup final standings
1Daphny Van Den Brand (Netherlands)330pts
2Marianne Vos (Netherlands)325Row 1 - Cell 3
3Sanne Van Paassen (Netherlands)268Row 2 - Cell 3
4Katherine Compton (United States Of America)260Row 3 - Cell 3
5Hanka Kupfernagel (Germany)235Row 4 - Cell 3
6Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (France)203Row 5 - Cell 3
7Caroline Mani (France)184Row 6 - Cell 3
8Sanne Cant (Belgium)176Row 7 - Cell 3
9Katerina Nash (Czech Republic)135Row 8 - Cell 3
10Pavla Havlikova (Czech Republic)131Row 9 - Cell 3
11Helen Wyman (Great Britain)126Row 10 - Cell 3
12Linda Van Rijen (Netherlands)110Row 11 - Cell 3
13Eva Lechner (Italy)106Row 12 - Cell 3
14Elisabeth Brandau (Germany)103Row 13 - Cell 3
15Reza Hormes (Netherlands)95Row 14 - Cell 3
16Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (France)91Row 15 - Cell 3
17Gabriella Day (Great Britain)89Row 16 - Cell 3
18Sophie De Boer (Netherlands)84Row 17 - Cell 3
19Nadia Triquet-Claude (France)79Row 18 - Cell 3
20Jana Kyptova (Czech Republic)78Row 19 - Cell 3
21Joyce Vanderbeken (Belgium)77Row 20 - Cell 3
22Nikki Harris (Great Britain)71Row 21 - Cell 3
23Arenda Grimberg (Netherlands)61Row 22 - Cell 3
24Amy Dombroski (United States Of America)59Row 23 - Cell 3
25Maureen Demaret Guichardot (France)55Row 24 - Cell 3
26Katrin Leumann (Switzerland)43Row 25 - Cell 3
27Evelyn Staffler (Italy)38Row 26 - Cell 3
28Pauline Ferrand Prevot (France)34Row 27 - Cell 3
29Meredith Miller (United States Of America)30Row 28 - Cell 3
30Rosa Maria Bravo Soba (Spain)29Row 29 - Cell 3
31Saskia Elemans (Netherlands)29Row 30 - Cell 3
32Veronica Alessio (Italy)29Row 31 - Cell 3
33Martina Zwick (Germany)22Row 32 - Cell 3
34Sabrina Schweizer (Germany)22Row 33 - Cell 3
35Jasmin Achermann (Switzerland)20Row 34 - Cell 3
36Nancy Bober (Belgium)18Row 35 - Cell 3
37Maureen Bruno Roy (United States Of America)16Row 36 - Cell 3
38Annie Last (Great Britain)15Row 37 - Cell 3
39Susan Butler (United States Of America)14Row 38 - Cell 3
40Camille Darcel (France)11Row 39 - Cell 3
41Francesca Cucciniello (Italy)10Row 40 - Cell 3
42Marlène Morel Petitgirard (France)8Row 41 - Cell 3
43Nicole De Bie - Leyten (Belgium)8Row 42 - Cell 3
44Suzie Godart (Luxembourg)7Row 43 - Cell 3
45Sabrina Stultiens (Netherlands)6Row 44 - Cell 3
46Veerle Ingels (Belgium)6Row 45 - Cell 3
47Elke Riedl (Austria)6Row 46 - Cell 3
48Nikoline Hansen (Denmark)6Row 47 - Cell 3
49Martina Mikulaskova (Czech Republic)5Row 48 - Cell 3
50Rebecca Talen (Netherlands)4Row 49 - Cell 3
51Stefania Vecchio (Italy)4Row 50 - Cell 3
52Agnes Naumann (Germany)3Row 51 - Cell 3
53Ayako Toyooka (Japan)3Row 52 - Cell 3
54Nicoletta Bresciani (Italy)3Row 53 - Cell 3
55Birgit Hollmann (Germany)3Row 54 - Cell 3
56Vicki Thomas (Canada)3Row 55 - Cell 3
57Christine Vardaros (United States Of America)2Row 56 - Cell 3
58Marzena Wasiuk (Poland)1Row 57 - Cell 3
59Ellen Van Loy (Belgium)1Row 58 - Cell 3
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Under-23 men's UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup final standings
1Tom Meeusen (Belgium)250pts
2Robert Gavenda (Slovakia)180Row 1 - Cell 3
3Arnaud Jouffroy (France)164Row 2 - Cell 3
4Tijmen Eising (Netherlands)162Row 3 - Cell 3
5Pawel Szczepaniak (Poland)131Row 4 - Cell 3
6Micki Van Empel (Netherlands)124Row 5 - Cell 3
7Jim Aernouts (Belgium)120Row 6 - Cell 3
8Marek Konwa (Poland)117Row 7 - Cell 3
9Joeri Adams (Belgium)114Row 8 - Cell 3
10Cristian Cominelli (Italy)112Row 9 - Cell 3
11Jan Denuwelaere (Belgium)108Row 10 - Cell 3
12Kacper Szczepaniak (Poland)93Row 11 - Cell 3
13Vincent Baestaens (Belgium)88Row 12 - Cell 3
14Matthieu Boulo (France)85Row 13 - Cell 3
15Lubomir Petrus (Czech Republic)84Row 14 - Cell 3
16Lars Van Der Haar (Netherlands)83Row 15 - Cell 3
17Jiri Polnicky (Czech Republic)77Row 16 - Cell 3
18Elia Silvestri (Italy)71Row 17 - Cell 3
19Sascha Weber (Germany)65Row 18 - Cell 3
20Kenneth Van Compernolle (Belgium)59Row 19 - Cell 3
21Arnaud Grand (Switzerland)53Row 20 - Cell 3
22Corne Van Kessel (Netherlands)53Row 21 - Cell 3
23Mitchell Huenders (Netherlands)42Row 22 - Cell 3
24Wietse Bosmans (Belgium)37Row 23 - Cell 3
25Kevin Cant (Belgium)30Row 24 - Cell 3
26Marcel Meisen (Germany)30Row 25 - Cell 3
27Ole Quast (Germany)30Row 26 - Cell 3
28Karel Hnik (Czech Republic)28Row 27 - Cell 3
29Matthias Rupp (Switzerland)25Row 28 - Cell 3
30Matteo Trentin (Italy)21Row 29 - Cell 3
31Kevin Eeckhout (Belgium)18Row 30 - Cell 3
32Alessandro Calderan (Italy)18Row 31 - Cell 3
33Luca Braidot (Italy)17Row 32 - Cell 3
34Stef Boden (Belgium)16Row 33 - Cell 3
35Valentin Scherz (Switzerland)15Row 34 - Cell 3
36Ramon Sinkeldam (Netherlands)12Row 35 - Cell 3
37Bryan Falaschi (Italy)12Row 36 - Cell 3
38Twan Van Den Brand (Netherlands)11Row 37 - Cell 3
39Nico Brüngger (Switzerland)11Row 38 - Cell 3
40Melvin Rulliere (France)11Row 39 - Cell 3
41Irwin Gras (France)10Row 40 - Cell 3
42Sven Beelen (Belgium)8Row 41 - Cell 3
43Michael (Jr) Schweizer (Germany)7Row 42 - Cell 3
44Daniel Summerhill (United States Of America)7Row 43 - Cell 3
45Fabian Danner (Germany)6Row 44 - Cell 3
46David Menger (Czech Republic)6Row 45 - Cell 3
47Vinnie Braet (Belgium)5Row 46 - Cell 3
48Filip Adel (Czech Republic)5Row 47 - Cell 3
49Mattias Nilsson (Sweden)4Row 48 - Cell 3
50Aurelien Gizzi (France)4Row 49 - Cell 3
51Max Walsleben (Germany)4Row 50 - Cell 3
52Zach Mcdonald (United States Of America)3Row 51 - Cell 3
53Jimmy Turgis (France)2Row 52 - Cell 3
54Ruben Veestraeten (Belgium)2Row 53 - Cell 3
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Junior men's UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup final standings
1David Van Der Poel (Netherlands)223pts
2Gert-Jan Bosman (Netherlands)207Row 1 - Cell 3
3Jens Vandekinderen (Belgium)165Row 2 - Cell 3
4Michiel Van Der Heijden (Netherlands)154Row 3 - Cell 3
5Emilien Viennet (France)146Row 4 - Cell 3
6Mike Teunissen (Netherlands)143Row 5 - Cell 3
7Julian Alaphilippe (France)135Row 6 - Cell 3
8Laurens Sweeck (Belgium)124Row 7 - Cell 3
9Danny Van Poppel (Netherlands)117Row 8 - Cell 3
10Emiel Dolfsma (Netherlands)115Row 9 - Cell 3
11Matej Lasak (Czech Republic)105Row 10 - Cell 3
12Michael Boros (Czech Republic)100Row 11 - Cell 3
13Gianni Vermeersch (Belgium)100Row 12 - Cell 3
14Jens Adams (Belgium)99Row 13 - Cell 3
15Tomas Paprstka (Czech Republic)94Row 14 - Cell 3
16David Menut (France)89Row 15 - Cell 3
17Tim Merlier (Belgium)82Row 16 - Cell 3
18Radek Polnicky (Czech Republic)72Row 17 - Cell 3
19Vojtech Nipl (Czech Republic)67Row 18 - Cell 3
20Bart De Vocht (Belgium)59Row 19 - Cell 3
21Fabio Alfonso Todaro (Italy)50Row 20 - Cell 3
22Rudy Lorenzon (Italy)40Row 21 - Cell 3
23Lukas Müller (Switzerland)37Row 22 - Cell 3
24Frederik Geerts (Belgium)34Row 23 - Cell 3
25Diether Sweeck (Belgium)30Row 24 - Cell 3
26Andrea Righettini (Italy)29Row 25 - Cell 3
27Yannick Eckmann (Germany)24Row 26 - Cell 3
28Wenzel Böhm-Gräber (Germany)23Row 27 - Cell 3
29Clément Lebras (France)19Row 28 - Cell 3
30Clément Venturini (France)17Row 29 - Cell 3
31Michael Casagrande (Italy)16Row 30 - Cell 3
32Joeri Hofman (Belgium)15Row 31 - Cell 3
33Xandro Meurisse (Belgium)14Row 32 - Cell 3
34Jannick Geisler (Germany)14Row 33 - Cell 3
35Lars Forster (Switzerland)13Row 34 - Cell 3
36Anthonin Didier (France)12Row 35 - Cell 3
37Floris De Tier (Belgium)10Row 36 - Cell 3
38Julian Levasseur (France)8Row 37 - Cell 3
39Andrea Sottocornola (Italy)7Row 38 - Cell 3
40Bastien Duculty (France)5Row 39 - Cell 3
41Dries Heylen (Belgium)5Row 40 - Cell 3
42Lorenzo Samparisi (Italy)5Row 41 - Cell 3
43Joey Van Rhee (Netherlands)4Row 42 - Cell 3
44Kévin Bouvard (France)4Row 43 - Cell 3
45Jakub Skala (Czech Republic)4Row 44 - Cell 3
46Hendrik Sweeck (Belgium)3Row 45 - Cell 3
47Francesco Acqvaviva (Italy)3Row 46 - Cell 3
48Julian Lehmann (Germany)3Row 47 - Cell 3
49Vincent Louiche (France)2Row 48 - Cell 3
50Enrico Scapolan (Italy)2Row 49 - Cell 3
51Douwe Verberne (Netherlands)1Row 50 - Cell 3
52Luca Guerrini (Italy)1Row 51 - Cell 3

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