Albert and Compton continue to lead UCI 'cross rankings

Image 1 of 3

The UCI announced its latest cyclo-cross rankings today following the penultimate World Cup round contested in Rome, Italy on Sunday with no changes at the top of any of the standings. World champion Niels Albert remains in the lead of the elite men's rankings with an accumulation of 2,356 points. The BKCP-Powerplus Belgian has had a solid run of results in recent weeks with wins at the Azencross round of the Bpost Bank Trofee series and the Diegem round of the Superprestige series. Albert then notched a third place finish in Baal at the GP Sven Nys followed by a second place finish in round seven of the World Cup in Rome. Albert also leads overall in both the World Cup and Bpost Bank Trofee series.

Kevin Pauwels (Sunweb-Napoleon Games) soloed to victory at the World Cup in Rome plus the GP Sven Nys and along with podium finishes at Azencross and Diegem moves from third to second in the UCI rankings with 2,299 points.

Sven Nys (Crelan-Euphony) dropped one position from second to third at 2,200 points after a bout of sickness kept him from starting his eponymous GP Sven Nys and the lingering after effects resulted in just a 20th place finish at the Rome World Cup round.

Fourth through ninth in the elite men's standings remains unchanged with Klaas Vantornout, Lars van der Haar, Rob Peeters, Tom Meeusen, Bart Aernouts and Francis Mourey holding fourth through ninth respectively. The Czech Republic's Radomir Simunek (Kwadro-Stannah), however, moves into 10th position following a solid 7th place result in Rome on Sunday.

The elite men's national standings remain unchanged with Belgium well ahead of its closest rivals with 6,885 points. The Netherlands holds second with 2,881 points followed by the Czech Republic in third at 2,706 points.

US champion Katie Compton (Trek Cyclocross Collective) made history on Sunday as her second place finish in the elite women's World Cup event earned her the 2012-2013 overall World Cup title, the first American to achieve that honour. Her second place finish kept her on top of the elite women's UCI standings with 2,560 points.

European champion Helen Wyman (Kona), sixth on Sunday in Rome, remains in second overall in the UCI standings with 1,974 points. World champion Marianne Vos (Rabobank Liv/Giant) rode away from Katie Compton to win in Rome and the Dutchwoman holds third overall at 1,865 points.

The biggest mover in the top-10 was Katerina Nash (Luna), third place in Rome, who jumped from 10th to 7th overall with 1,370 points.

The top 12 nations for elite women remained unchanged with the Netherlands continuing to lead at 4,635 points. Vos's win in Rome edged the Netherlands slightly further ahead of Great Britain, which holds second overall at 4,568 points. The United States remains in third at 3,747 points.

In the junior men's ranks Mathieu van der Poel (Netherlands) continues his phenomenal unbeaten streak this season with a victory at the Rome, Italy World Cup round, the fifth of six World Cups for the juniors. Van der Poel has nearly twice as many UCI points as his nearest rival, US champion Logan Owen, at 240 to 123. Belgium's Quinten Hermans retains his third place overall with 104 points.

The top four nations for junior men remain unchanged with the Netherlands in the lead at 342 points. Belgium trails the Netherlands by 132 points while the United States holds third at 189 points.