Stybar and Vos successfully defend 'cross World titles

Cyclo-cross World Championships 2011 photo gallery by Graham Watson>>

Zdenek Stybar and Marianne Vos both successfully defended their elite cyclo-cross World Championship titles in St Wendel, Germany, on Sunday.

Czech rider Stybar accelerated away from Sven Nys (Belgium) just over half-way through the elite men's race, and continued riding solo to clinch the win. Nys secured silver, 18 seconds adrift of Stybar with compatriot Kevin Pauwels snatching bronze in a duel to the line with Frenchman Francis Mourey.

Britain's best elite men's finisher Ian Field ended two laps down on the rampant Stybar. Britain's other representatives, Jody Crawforth and nation champion Paul Oldham, finished four and five laps down respectively.

In the elite women's race, Vos (Netherlands) scored her third consecutive 'cross title and the fourth in total in her glittering career on the road, track and off-road.

Katherine Compton (USA) had ridden an aggressive race with Vos and Katerina Nash (Czech Republic), but Vos left her two companions on the final lap eventually increasing the gap from Compton to 17 seconds by the time she crossed the line, arms aloft. Nash finished three seconds further back.

British national champion Helen Wyman gave Britain its highest placing of the weekend, coming home in 11th in the elite women's race. Britain's other elite women, Nikki Harris and Gabby Day, finished 15th and 23rd respectively.

Lars Van Der Haar (Netherlands) took the under-23 men's title in a dash to the line ahead of Mike Teunissen (Netherlands) and Karel Hnik (Czech Republic).

The French dominated the junior men's race with a one-two-three with Clement Venturini (France) placing ahead of twin brothers Fabien and Loic Doubey, both at 15 seconds. Jack Clarkson of Britain finished 19th, 2-54 adrift of Venturini.

Cyclo-cross World Championshsip 2011: Results

Elite men

1. Zdenek Stybar (Czech Republic) in 1-06-37

2. Sven Nys (Belgium) at 18secs

3. Kevin Pauwels (Belgium) at 1-15

4. Francis Mourey (France) at 1-16

5. Philipp Walsleben (Germany) at 1-18

Other

Ian Field (Great Britain) 2 laps down

Jody Crawforth (Great Britain) 4 laps down

Pau Oldham (Great Britain) 5 laps down

Elite women

1. Marianne Vos (Netherlands) in 40-31

2. Katherine Compton (USA) at 17secs

3. Katerina Nash (Czech Republic) at 20secs

4. Hanka Kupfernagel (Germany) at 42secs

5. Jasmin Achermann (Switzerland) at 1-10

Other

12. Helen Wyman (Great Britain) at 3-00

15. Nikki Harris (Great Britain) at 3-08

23. Gabriella Day (Great Britain) at 3-58

Under-23 men

1. Lars Van Der Haar (Netherlands) in 52-11

2. Mike Teunissen (Netherlands) at 1sec

3. Karel Hnik (Czech Republic) at 1sec

4. Matthieu Boulo (France) at 3secs

5. Tijmen Eising (Netherlands) at 4secs

Other

26. Kenta Gallagher (Great Britain) at 2-40

43. Luke Gray (Great Britain) at 5-46

Junior men

1. Clement Venturini (France) in 44-31

2. Fabien Doubey (France) at 15secs

3. Loic Doubey (France) at 15secs

4. Jakub Skala (Czech Republic) at 36secs

5. Laurens Sweeck (Belgium) at 37secs

Other

19. Jack Clarkson (Great Britain) at 2-54

22. Hugo Robinson (Great Britain) at 3-06

33. Luke Grivell-Mellor (Great Britain) at 4-19

34. Alistair Slater (Great Britain) at 4-20

47. Joseph Moses (Great Britain) at 5-29

Zdenek Stybar wins the elite men's race

Ian Field

Stybar in action

Stybar wins

Marianne Vos tops the elite women's podium for the thirs year on the trot

Great Britain's Helen Wyman finished 11th in the elite women's race

Marianne Vos takes an emotional win

Lars Van Der Haar wins the under-23 men's race

All-French podium in the junior men's race

Related links

Cyclo-cross World Championships 2011: Photo gallery

Cyclo-cross World Championships 2011: The Big Preview