Sven Nys back in form at Koppenbergcross
Ahead of Monday's Koppenbergcross, 34-year-old Belgian champion Sven Nys was even starting to lose support in his native Flanders with his lack of success this season. World Champion Zdenek Stybar has
been racking up the victories in the absence of Nys’ usual presence and started Monday’s Koppenbergcross with eight victories in his last nine races. However, this was not a race that Nys was willing to lose, as he cruised to a win on Monday 1 November.
"This was a race that I really wanted to win," said Nys. "Only a fully developed 'cross rider can win here and once again I've put it onto my list. I can enjoy this victory for more than a year, I'm completely
sure about that. I don't know what's going to happen during the upcoming weeks but I'll surely be living on a cloud during the next few days."
It was Nys’ seventh consecutive victory at the Koppenbergcross. The Belgian first won the race in 2001 and began his seven-win streak in 2004. Stybar finished just outside of the podium behind his Telenet-Fidea
teammate Kevin Pauwels in third, 1:28 behind the winner. Niels Albert was the runner-up at the Koppenbergcross, 1:07 behind Nys.
“Last year I would have finished well off the podium in those conditions,” said Pauwels. “It means I've taken a big step forward. This was a good weekend for me.”
The winner finished on the podium in Sunday’s Superprestige behind Stybar and Pauwels, but on Monday Nys took the lead ahead of his young opponents as early as the second lap and held his one-minute gap
for most of the day.
"I lived up towards this race,” said Nys. “It succeeded and without wasting many words to the matter I answered the critics with the pedals today. I'm still standing."
Nys’ first big win of the season was paired with Helen Wyman’s first big win of her career in the women’s Koppenbergcross. The 29-year old won the race ahead of Belgian champion Sanne Cant, while the season-dominating
women Daphny Van den Brand and Sanne Van Paassen fought over the final podium spot, with the latter Dutchwoman winning out.
“It's unreal,” said Wyman. “It took me six years but I finally won a race in Belgium and what a race it is. All the history of this climb makes it so special to win here. I'm standing here with a cobble
and I think I'll charge people if they want to touch it.”
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