Nys nips Pauwels for victory at Roubaix 'Cross World Cup

For the first time in his long career, Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet-Euphony) clinched the win on the legendary vélodrome of Roubaix, France. Nys won the fourth round of the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup on Sunday afternoon. It's his 10th win of the season.

"It's special to win here on this vélodrome which has so much history. It's a good start to December after a great November. I feel strong," Nys said.

On a fast course, the final lap decided the winner from a four-man lead group. Nys distanced Kevin Pauwels (Sunweb-Revor) and world champion Niels Albert (BKCP-Powerplus) in the final technical section; Julien Taramarcaz (BMC) concluded a strong race with fourth place. Albert remains leader in the World Cup, keeping a lead of 15 points over Nys.

"I'm no longer looking at the classifications. If I'm always second or third and Sven keeps winning, it's clear I'm not going to win the classification," a downbeat Albert said.

Nys on the other hand resumed believing in the possibility of an overall World Cup win. "After two rounds, I thought winning was no longer possible but 15 points is not impossible to overcome," Nys said.

During the first part of the race, Nys wasn't feeling that great. He was caught behind, riding outside the top-10. "There was some chaos at the barriers because some guys rode around them, and I lost a lot of ground. I didn't panic but it wasn't a good situation as you can't make up 15 seconds in no time on this course," Nys said.

Meanwhile Albert was putting the hammer down in front together with Taramarcaz, who also got off to a good start. For about five laps, the duo kept the pace high in front, maintaining Nys at distance but taking the fast Pauwels with them. Albert wasn't pleased with the lack of support he got from Pauwels.

"I hoped to get more support. I didn't ask him, but initiative is something you have to take," Albert said afterward about Pauwels.

Halfway through the race, the leaders sat up and in no time there was a large lead group with nearly 10 riders. That was the moment for Nys to make a move. "If there's no speed, then it gets crowded thus dangerous so I took the initiative," Nys said.

A little later the selection was made, and four men escaped to battle for the win. Taramarcaz was the surprising name at the front next to those of Nys, Albert and Pauwels. "He's consistently riding near the front this year. On a technical course like today, he did very well," Nys said, heralding the young Swiss rider. "I think it's his first full 'cross season. It's good for cyclo-cross to have him," said Albert, who got dropped a couple of times in the closing laps but in the final lap took the lead with Nys on his wheel.

"I wanted to be in second place when entering the technical section. In that section, I had the acceleration to take the lead. It was also good to be in front while Albert - who earlier showed signs of weakness - would be between me and fast man Pauwels," Nys said.

Nys powered away in the final sections leading to the velodrome and didn't allow Pauwels, who overtook Albert, to come back on his wheel, grabbing his 10th win of the season. Lars van der Haar (Rabobank - Giant Offroad Team) was best of the rest at 20 seconds after winner Nys.

Much further back, the American riders didn't have their best day. Jeremy Powers (Rapha-Focus) had some difficult first laps and eventually finished 23rd. Jonathan Page was 30th.

The next World Cup round will be held in Namur, Belgium on December 23.

Full Results

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Elite men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Sven Nys (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Euphony1:03:47
2Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Sunweb - Revor0:00:01
3Niels Albert (Bel) BKCP - Powerplus0:00:04
4Julien Taramarcaz (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:00:07
5Lars van der Haar (Ned) Rabobank Giant Offroad Team0:00:20
6Radomir Simunek (Cze) BKCP - PowerplusRow 5 - Cell 2
7Rob Peeters (Bel) Telenet - Fidea0:00:21
8Twan Van Den Brand (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling TeamRow 7 - Cell 2
9Dieter Vanthourenhout (Bel) BKCP - Powerplus0:00:24
10Tom Meeusen (Bel) Telenet - Fidea0:00:40
11Aurelien Duval (Fra)0:01:06
12Thijs Van Amerongen (Ned) Aa Drink - Leontien.Nl Cycling Team0:01:21
13Bart Aernouts (Bel) Aa Drink - Leontien.Nl Cycling Team0:01:25
14Marcel Meisen (Ger) BKCP - PowerplusRow 13 - Cell 2
15Martin Bina (Cze) Cez Cyklo Team Tabor0:01:30
16Simon Zahner (Swi) Ekz Racing Team0:01:31
17Bart Wellens (Bel) Telenet - Fidea0:01:32
18Steve Chainel (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 17 - Cell 2
19Francis Mourey (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat0:01:46
20Enrico Franzoi (Ita) Selle Italia Guerciotti0:01:53
21Matthieu Boulo (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole0:01:54
22Mariusz Gil (Pol) Baboco Cycling Team0:01:58
23Jeremy Powers (USA) Rapha - Focus0:02:06
24Niels Wubben (Ned) Rabobank Giant Offroad Team0:02:14
25Thijs Al (Ned) Telenet - Fidea0:02:25
26Philipp Walsleben (Ger) BKCP - Powerplus0:02:46
27Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Sunweb - Revor0:02:52
28Gerben De Knegt (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team0:02:56
29Patrick Van Leeuwen (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team0:02:58
30Jonathan Page (USA) Planet Bike0:03:02
31Lubomir Petrus (Cze) BKCP - Powerplus0:03:05
32Christoph Pfingsten (Ger) Cyclingteam De Rijke - Shanks0:03:11
33Ondrej Bambula (Cze) Cez Cyklo Team Tabor0:03:54
34Arnaud Grand (Swi) Telenet - Fidea0:04:03
35Jiri Polnicky (Cze) Whirlpool - Author0:04:04
36Kenneth Hansen (Den) Baboco Cycling Team0:04:07
37Nicolas Bazin (Fra) Auber 93Row 36 - Cell 2
-1lapMagnus Darvell (Swe) Team Herbalife 24 RaumerrittetRow 37 - Cell 2
-1lapMartin Zlamalik (Cze) Landbouwkrediet - KDLRow 38 - Cell 2
-2lapsMicki Van Empel (Ned) Landbouwkrediet - KDLRow 39 - Cell 2
-2lapsVladimir Kyzivat (Cze)Row 40 - Cell 2
-2lapsRomain Lejeune (Fra)Row 41 - Cell 2
-3lapsChristian Helmig (Lux)Row 42 - Cell 2
-4lapsYannick Mayer (Ger) Team NSP - GhostRow 43 - Cell 2
-4lapsJose Antonio Diez Arriola (Spa)Row 44 - Cell 2
-4lapsLudwig Söderquist (Swe)Row 45 - Cell 2
-6lapsMichel Vuelta Izquierdo (Spa)Row 46 - Cell 2
-6lapsEmil Arvid Olsen (Den)Row 47 - Cell 2
-6lapsAlexander Revell (NZl)Row 48 - Cell 2
-6lapsLewis Rattray (Aus)Row 49 - Cell 2
-7lapsDavid Quist (Nor)Row 50 - Cell 2
DNFEgoitz Murgoitio Rekalde (Spa)Row 51 - Cell 2
DNSElia Silvestri (Ita) Selle Italia GuerciottiRow 52 - Cell 2
DNSIan Field (GBr) Hargroves CyclesRow 53 - Cell 2
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Elite men World Cup after four rounds
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Niels Albert (Bel) BKCP - Powerplus280pts
2Sven Nys (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Euphony265Row 1 - Cell 3
3Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Sunweb - Revor254Row 2 - Cell 3
4Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Sunweb - Revor209Row 3 - Cell 3
5Lars van der Haar (Ned) Rabobank Giant Offroad Team197Row 4 - Cell 3
6Bart Aernouts (Bel) Aa Drink - Leontien.Nl Cycling Team196Row 5 - Cell 3
7Tom Meeusen (Bel) Telenet - Fidea186Row 6 - Cell 3
8Francis Mourey (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat180Row 7 - Cell 3
9Thijs Van Amerongen (Ned) Aa Drink - Leontien.Nl Cycling Team165Row 8 - Cell 3
10Radomir Simunek (Cze) BKCP - Powerplus163Row 9 - Cell 3
11Dieter Vanthourenhout (Bel) BKCP - Powerplus163Row 10 - Cell 3
12Bart Wellens (Bel) Telenet - Fidea160Row 11 - Cell 3
13Twan Van Den Brand (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team155Row 12 - Cell 3
14Simon Zahner (Swi) Ekz Racing Team137Row 13 - Cell 3
15Julien Taramarcaz (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team135Row 14 - Cell 3
16Enrico Franzoi (Ita) Selle Italia Guerciotti131Row 15 - Cell 3
17Niels Wubben (Ned) Rabobank Giant Offroad Team130Row 16 - Cell 3
18Martin Bina (Cze) Cez Cyklo Team Tabor126Row 17 - Cell 3
19Philipp Walsleben (Ger) BKCP - Powerplus121Row 18 - Cell 3
20Gerben De Knegt (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team114Row 19 - Cell 3
21Thijs Al (Ned) Telenet - Fidea108Row 20 - Cell 3
22Marcel Meisen (Ger) BKCP - Powerplus106Row 21 - Cell 3
23Marcel Wildhaber (Swi) Scott - Swisspower Mtb Racing Team106Row 22 - Cell 3
24Mariusz Gil (Pol) Baboco Cycling Team100Row 23 - Cell 3
25Rob Peeters (Bel) Telenet - Fidea98Row 24 - Cell 3
26Patrick Van Leeuwen (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team91Row 25 - Cell 3
27Matthieu Boulo (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole90Row 26 - Cell 3
28Jonathan Page (USA) Planet Bike81Row 27 - Cell 3
29Arnaud Grand (Swi) Telenet - Fidea77Row 28 - Cell 3
30Jeremy Powers (USA) Rapha - Focus76Row 29 - Cell 3
31Lubomir Petrus (Cze) BKCP - Powerplus72Row 30 - Cell 3
32Egoitz Murgoitio Rekalde (Spa)68Row 31 - Cell 3
33Jiri Polnicky (Cze) Whirlpool - Author68Row 32 - Cell 3
34Nicolas Bazin (Fra) Auber 9365Row 33 - Cell 3
35Christoph Pfingsten (Ger) Cyclingteam De Rijke - Shanks60Row 34 - Cell 3
36Ian Field (GBr) Hargroves Cycles57Row 35 - Cell 3
37Steve Chainel (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat56Row 36 - Cell 3
38Micki Van Empel (Ned) Landbouwkrediet - KDL46Row 37 - Cell 3
39Vladimir Kyzivat (Cze)46Row 38 - Cell 3
40Ondrej Bambula (Cze) Cez Cyklo Team Tabor45Row 39 - Cell 3
41Guillaume Perrot (Fra)41Row 40 - Cell 3
42Aurelien Duval (Fra)40Row 41 - Cell 3
43Jim Aernouts (Bel) Sunweb - Revor34Row 42 - Cell 3
44Martin Zlamalik (Cze) Landbouwkrediet - KDL33Row 43 - Cell 3
45Petr Dlask (Cze) Madeta Fitness / Specialized27Row 44 - Cell 3
46David Kasek (Cze)26Row 45 - Cell 3
47Magnus Darvell (Swe) Team Herbalife 24 Raumerrittet23Row 46 - Cell 3
48Marco Ponta (Ita)23Row 47 - Cell 3
49Mitchell Huenders (Ned)21Row 48 - Cell 3
50Timothy Johnson (USA) Cannondale P/B Cyclocrossworld.Com21Row 49 - Cell 3
51Elia Silvestri (Ita) Selle Italia Guerciotti21Row 50 - Cell 3
52Robert Gavenda (Svk) Dukla Trencin Trek18Row 51 - Cell 3
53Arnaud Jouffroy (Fra) Telenet - Fidea17Row 52 - Cell 3
54Christian Helmig (Lux)17Row 53 - Cell 3
55Isaac Suarez Fernandez (Spa)16Row 54 - Cell 3
56Kenneth Hansen (Den) Baboco Cycling Team15Row 55 - Cell 3
57Sascha Weber (Ger) Team Differdange - Magic-Sportfood.De14Row 56 - Cell 3
58Jose Antonio Diez Arriola (Spa)13Row 57 - Cell 3
59Milan Barenyi (Svk)12Row 58 - Cell 3
60Mirko Tabacchi (Ita)12Row 59 - Cell 3
61Vaclav Metlicka (Svk)11Row 60 - Cell 3
62Cristian Cominelli (Ita) Team Idea10Row 61 - Cell 3
63Romain Lejeune (Fra)9Row 62 - Cell 3
64Gusty Bausch (Lux)8Row 63 - Cell 3
65Yannick Mayer (Ger) Team NSP - Ghost7Row 64 - Cell 3
66Lewis Rattray (Aus)7Row 65 - Cell 3
67Alexander Revell (NZl)7Row 66 - Cell 3
68Martin Haring (Svk)6Row 67 - Cell 3
69Ludwig Söderquist (Swe)5Row 68 - Cell 3
70Michel Vuelta Izquierdo (Spa)4Row 69 - Cell 3
71Angus Edmond (NZl)4Row 70 - Cell 3
72Emil Arvid Olsen (Den)3Row 71 - Cell 3
73Lukas Winterberg (Swi)3Row 72 - Cell 3
74Marco Bianco (Ita)3Row 73 - Cell 3

 

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