Zdenek Stybar, Sanne van Paassen win at World Cup #2
In the second edition of the cyclo-cross World Cup, held on Sunday in Plzen, the Czech Republic, both Zdenek Stybar and Katie Compton were able to maintain their undefeated seasons. Stybar took the gold medal in the men’s competition, his seventh season
victory in as many competitions, 18 seconds ahead of Kevin Pauwels and 33 ahead of Niels Albert. The Czech champion had been joined by the same two riders on the podium at last weekend’s World Cup #1, though their positions were reversed.
“The section at the finish line was really tough with the headwind,” said Stybar. “I did special training for that on Friday. I suffered a lot but today it helped me. It was a pity that during the last lap my team mate punctured. Still I decided to go as
hard as possible to arrive alone. Today the crowd was incredible. It was the most enjoyable race for me this season. I would like to thank all fans here in Plzen.”
Albert was the first to lead the race, but Pauwels took over in the second last lap. Albert fell off at the uphill start of the final lap and Pauwels was passed by Stybar after puncturing a tyre during the final lap. The bunch sprint in the chase group was
won by Francis Mourey.
Compton maintained her undefeated record not by winning, but by not competing. Her absence opened the competition for young Sanne van Paassen to win the race three days before her 22nd birthday. The Dutch cyclist won ahead of Daphny Van den Brand
and local bronze medalist Katerina Nash, both of whom stood on the same step of the podium as they had at the first World Cup last weekend. Paassen had finished in fourth at the first event in Switzerland.
Compton, the previous World Cup leader, fell back to fifth overall in the competition, now 40 points behind due to her absence. Paassen and Van den Brand are now tied for first overall. Nash is 10 points down from the pair, in third place overall. Helen
Wyman, who finished fifth in both World Cups so far, behind local Pavla Havlikova on Sunday, stands in fourth overall. The third round of the UCI cyclo-cross World Cup will be hosted by Belgium, held in the North Sea dunes of Koksijde on November 27, 2010.
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