Vos solos to victory in Rome World Cup

World champion Marianne Vos (Rabobank Liv/Giant Team) won the penultimate cyclo-cross World Cup round in Rome, Italy on Sunday afternoon. Katie Compton (Trek Cyclocross Collective) did more than enough at the hippodrome on the outskirts of Rome with her second place finish and claimed overall victory in the World Cup.

"I've got the rhythm going and can head with confidence to the championships," Vos said on Sporza.

World champion Vos had a good start and didn't lose time to set a fast pace. Compton got away well, too, and sat on Vos' wheel on a blistering fast Italian course. Halfway through the opening lap Compton took over pace-setting duties from Vos. Nobody was able to keep up with the duo at this early stage of the race. Although Compton needed just a top-15 result in Rome to secure overall victory in the World Cup she did take most of the initiative during the first half of the six-lap long race.

At the end of the fourth lap, Vos accelerated in a small, twisting sector just prior to the finish line. The world champion got a gap on Compton and didn't take her foot of the gas. Compton lost a handful of seconds and didn't manage to close the gap down.

In the following two laps Vos managed to keep going as fast as in the first half of the race while Compton shifted a gear back.

In the background the battle for third place was most interesting. Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team) rode alone in third between two groups. She was nearly a minute behind the leading duo and a handful of seconds ahead of a large chase group with Sanne Cant (Veldritacademie Enertherm-BKCP), Helen Wyman (Kona) and Sanne van Paassen (Rabobank Liv/Giant Team). In the closing laps van Paassen did all she could to get back on the Czech rider but she fell short on the line.

Vos won by 24 seconds on Compton. Nash held off Van Paassen for third place at 1:08 from Vos. Cant and Wyman were fifth and sixth in Rome.

In two weeks the final World Cup round will be held in Hoogerheide, Netherlands. As it's mathematically impossible for anyone to supplant Compton at the top of the World Cup standings, she's likely to skip the race and stay in the USA to prepare for the world championships in Louisville, taking place February 2-3.

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Full Results
1Marianne Vos (Ned) Rabobank Liv/Giant0:39:38
2Katie Compton (USA) Trek Cyclocross Collective0:00:24
3Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team0:01:08
4Sanne van Paassen (Ned) Rabobank Liv/Giant0:01:15
5Sanne Cant (Bel) Veldritacademie Enertherm - BKCP0:01:22
6Helen Wyman (GBr) Kona Factory Team0:01:37
7Sabrina Stultiens (Ned) Rabobank Liv/Giant0:01:46
8Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (Fra) BH - SR Suntour - Peisey Vallandry0:01:48
9Ellen Van Loy (Bel) Melbotech Prorace CT0:02:02
10Eva Lechner (Ita) Colnago Sudtirol0:02:03
11Julie Krasniak (Fra) Rapha-Focus0:02:05
12Nikki Harris (GBr) Young Telenet-Fidea Cycling TeamRow 11 - Cell 2
13Annefleur Kalvenhaar (Ned) Giant Dealerteams0:02:25
14Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Fra) Hitec Products - Mistral Home Cycling Team0:02:28
15Jasmin Achermann (Swi) Rapha-Focus0:02:35
16Amy Dombroski (USA) Young Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team0:02:55
17Valentina Scandolara (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Rox0:03:09
18Pavla Havlikova (Cze) Young Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team0:03:15
19Elena Valentini (Ita) Selle Italia-Guerciotti-Elite0:03:32
20Joyce Vanderbeken (Bel) Wielerteam Decock Sportivo Moorsele0:03:44
21Francesca Cucciniello (Ita) Selle Italia-Guerciotti-Elite0:03:51
22Gabriella Day (GBr) Rapha-Focus0:04:05
23Alice Arzuffi (Ita) Selle Italia-Guerciotti-Elite0:04:33
24Reza Hormes-Ravenstijn (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team0:04:47
25Martina Mikulaskova (Cze)0:05:24
26Francesca Cauz (Ita) Fassa Bortolo - Servetto0:05:41
27Suzie Godart (Lux) CCI Differdange0:05:42
28Alessia Bulleri (Ita)-1lap
29Margriet Kloppenburg (Den) BMC Concept StoreRow 28 - Cell 2
30Nancy Bober (Bel) Style & Concept-2laps
DNFVania Rossi (Ita)Row 30 - Cell 2
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World Cup standings after round 7
1Katie Compton (USA) Trek Cyclocross Collective390pts
2Nikki Harris (GBr) Young Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team254Row 1 - Cell 3
3Sanne van Paassen (Ned) Rabobank Liv/Giant250Row 2 - Cell 3
4Helen Wyman (GBr) Kona Factory Team246Row 3 - Cell 3
5Sanne Cant (Bel) Veldritacademie Enertherm - BKCP217Row 4 - Cell 3
6Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (Fra) BH - SR Suntour - Peisey Vallandry190Row 5 - Cell 3
7Jasmin Achermann (Swi) Rapha-Focus188Row 6 - Cell 3
8Marianne Vos (Ned) Rabobank Liv/Giant165Row 7 - Cell 3
9Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Fra) Hitec Products - Mistral Home Cycling Team157Row 8 - Cell 3
10Pavla Havlikova (Cze) Young Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team145Row 9 - Cell 3
11Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team135Row 10 - Cell 3
12Gabriella Day (GBr) Rapha-Focus135Row 11 - Cell 3
13Ellen Van Loy (Bel) Melbotech Prorace CT135Row 12 - Cell 3
14Sabrina Stultiens (Ned) Rabobank Liv/Giant95Row 13 - Cell 3
15Amy Dombroski (USA) Young Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team94Row 14 - Cell 3
16Julie Krasniak (Fra) Rapha-Focus90Row 15 - Cell 3
17Eva Lechner (Ita) Colnago Sudtirol87Row 16 - Cell 3
18Annefleur Kalvenhaar (Ned) Giant Dealerteams79Row 17 - Cell 3
19Arenda Grimberg (Ned) WV Het Stadion72Row 18 - Cell 3
20Marlène Morel Petitgirard (Fra) VCCMM61Row 19 - Cell 3
21Sabrina Schweizer (Ger) Rapha-Focus61Row 20 - Cell 3
22Kaitlin Antonneau (USA) Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld57Row 21 - Cell 3
23Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Fra) Rabobank Liv/Giant55Row 22 - Cell 3
24Martina Mikulaskova (Cze)53Row 23 - Cell 3
25Joyce Vanderbeken (Bel) Wielerteam Decock Sportivo Moorsele52Row 24 - Cell 3
26Reza Hormes-Ravenstijn (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team40Row 25 - Cell 3
27Alice Arzuffi (Ita) Selle Italia-Guerciotti-Elite39Row 26 - Cell 3
28Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) RusVelo35Row 27 - Cell 3
29Vania Rossi (Ita)34Row 28 - Cell 3
30Sophie de Boer (Ned) Young Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team33Row 29 - Cell 3
31Maureen Bruno Roy (USA) Bob's Red Mill p/b Seven Cycles28Row 30 - Cell 3
32Meredith Miller (USA) Cal Giant Berry Farms/Specialized22Row 31 - Cell 3
33Caroline Mani (Fra) Raleigh-Clement22Row 32 - Cell 3
34Elena Valentini (Ita) Selle Italia-Guerciotti-Elite21Row 33 - Cell 3
35Nicole Duke (USA) Raleigh-Clement19Row 34 - Cell 3
36Asa Maria Erlandsson (Swe)19Row 35 - Cell 3
37Kim Van de Steene (Bel) Kon. VC T Meetjesland-Knesselare19Row 36 - Cell 3
38Githa Michiels (Bel) Trek-KMC Trade Team19Row 37 - Cell 3
39Francesca Cauz (Ita) Fassa Bortolo - Servetto18Row 38 - Cell 3
40Crystal Anthony (USA) Cyclocrossworld.com17Row 39 - Cell 3
41Nancy Bober (Bel) Style & Concept17Row 40 - Cell 3
42Valentina Scandolara (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Rox14Row 41 - Cell 3
43Tereza Medvedova (Svk)14Row 42 - Cell 3
44Margriet Kloppenburg (Den) BMC Concept Store14Row 43 - Cell 3
45Lise-Marie Henzelin (Swi) Team Pro Region Renfersa13Row 44 - Cell 3
46Francesca Cucciniello (Ita) Selle Italia-Guerciotti-Elite10Row 45 - Cell 3
47Annie Last (GBr)10Row 46 - Cell 3
48Ayako Toyooka (Jpn)9Row 47 - Cell 3
49Elisabeth Brandau (Ger) Notebooksbilliger.de Team7Row 48 - Cell 3
50Hilde Quintens (Bel) Melbotech Prorace CT6Row 49 - Cell 3
51Suzie Godart (Lux) CCI Differdange4Row 50 - Cell 3
52Angelica Edvardsson (Swe)4Row 51 - Cell 3
53Karla Stepanova (Cze)4Row 52 - Cell 3
54Evy Kuijpers (Ned)4Row 53 - Cell 3
55Christine Vardaros (USA) Baboco4Row 54 - Cell 3
56Alessia Bulleri (Ita)3Row 55 - Cell 3
57Nadja Heigl (Aut)2Row 56 - Cell 3
58Lotte Eikelenboom (Ned)1Row 57 - Cell 3
59Andrea Smith (USA) LadiesFirst Racing1Row 58 - Cell 3
60Kristien Nelen (Bel) Houffalize Granville Team1Row 59 - Cell 3

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