Pauwels, Van den Brand top final UCI cyclo-cross rankings

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With the last of the UCI-sanctioned cyclo-cross races taking place this past weekend, the UCI announced today the final cyclo-cross rankings of the 2011-2012 season. Kevin Pauwels (Sunweb-Revor) topped the elite men's rankings for the first time in his career while Daphny van den Brand (AA Drink – Leontien.nl Cycling Team) concluded her career as the highest-ranked rider in the women's standings.

Lars van der Haar was the best in the U23 men's category and his Dutch compatriot Mathieu van der Poel finished first in the junior men's rankings. As a nation the Netherlands topped the rankings in every category except the elite men, where Belgium clearly dominated.

The 2011-2012 season turned out to be a breakthrough season for Kevin Pauwels in the elite men's category. The 27-year-old Belgian captured the bronze medal at the world championships in Koksijde, won four World Cup rounds, three category 1 and four category 2 races, plus was a podium finisher on 14 other occasions. One of his rare off-days was at the Belgian championships where he finished 10th.

'Cross veteran Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet) finished in second overall, 153 points behind his compatriot, while Zdenek Stybar (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) placed third, 383 points behind Pauwels. Both Nys and Stybar captured the title at their national championships in Belgium and the Czech Republic respectively. They both disappointed at the World Championships and lost valuable points in the World Cup.

Fourth-placed Niels Albert (BKCP-Powerplus) was out injured in November but bounced back with a win at the World Championships on home soil in January. Tom Meeusen (Telenet-Fidea) finished fifth overall and at 23 is the youngest rider in the top-five.

Last Sunday in Oostmalle, Belgium Van den Brand finished just ahead of Dutch and World Champion Marianne Vos (Stichting Rabo Women Cycling Team). The Dutch duo finished in the same position in the UCI rankings where Van den Brand edged out Vos by 40 points, 2,140 to 2,100. While Vos was unbeatable in nearly each of the 17 races she contested, Van den Brand rode a longer season and added points at the European championships, an event that Vos did not contest. Van den Brand won nine races in her final season, including the Koksijde, Belgium round of the World Cup and the European championship in Lucca, Italy.

USA champion Katie Compton (Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team) finished third overall with 1,740 points, followed by British champion Helen Wyman (Kona Factory Team) with 1,422 points.

Lars van der Haar (Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team) was in a league of his own in the U23 men's category. The Dutch, European and world champion had a huge margin over his Belgian rival Wietse Bosmans (BKCP-Powerplus), 1,321 points to 551. Van der Haar's points tally was also good enough to finish seventh place on the overall UCI men's rankings.

Dutch rider Mathieu van der Poel won almost every race in the junior men's category this season. The 17-year-old Dutch champion, European champion and world champion logically topped the rankings with the maximum of 300 points. Quentin Jauregui (France) is best of the rest with 169 points, followed Wout Van Aert (Belgium) in third at 147 points.