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Stybar Wins Third World Championship in Fierce Battle With Nys

Zdenek Stybar (CZE) faught hard to hold off Sven Nys (BEL) to take his third world championship, with racing only four races this year after his great road season. Both riders crashed on the final laps, as the two battled well ahead of chasing riders.

Under cloudy skys, with the threat of rain looming in the distance, Francis Mourey (FRA) and Lars van der Haar (NED) took the hole shot. Martin Bina (CZE) was also right on the wheels. Nys came around the first corner in 7th, and Stybar up to 12th after starting in 37th.

With Mourey in the lead, Bina crashed, taking down van der Haar with him, allowing Mourey to open up a slight gap. Nys and Stybar joined the French rider, with van der Haar and Thjis van Amerongen also catching back on by the finishing straight. At the end of the first lap, Stybar launches his first attack of the day. Nys and van der Haar were able to bridge back, but Mourey and van Amerongen lagged a few lengths back. As Mourey caught the group, van der Haar pitted for a bike, and his front wheel slid out from under him while trying to remount. The young Dutchman was forced to chase, and was able to rejoin the group on the finishing straight. Behind the leading group of Stybar, Nys, Mourey, and van der Haar, a of Philipp Walsleben (GER), Klaas Vantornout (BEL), Radomir Simunek (CZE), Tom Meeusen (BEL), van Amerongen, Wistse Bosmans (BEL), Rob Peeters (BEL), (BEL), and Marcel Wildhaber (SWI) were 10 seconds back. Niels Albert, who had a bad start, was 14th, and Jeremy Powers was 18th, some 40 seconds back.

On the third lap, Nys continued to drive the pace, stretching out the lead group of four. Stybar stayed close to the Belgian, Mourey and van der Haar start to slip back. When Nys pitted for a fresh bike, Stybar toke a slight lead. With van der Haar about to bridge back, Stybar launches another attack through the rutted mud. Nys and van der Haar were able to stay with him, and Mourey continued off the back. The chase group was 14 seconds back. By the end of the lap though, the lead group of four were all back together, and the chase group started to lose more time and riders.

With five to go, Stybar and Mourey took bikes at the pits and were forced to chase back on. Stybar caught on, but Mourey continued to ride a few lengths back and was never able to recover. Nys and Stybar opened up a gap through the technical sections, putting van der Haar 5 seconds back, Mourey at 10. Pauwels made a move from the chase group, and had Mourey in his sights. As the leading duo crossed the line, Stybar motioned for Nys to move to the front, but the Belgian refused. The leaders continued to open up a gap, as van der Haar dropped back to 12 second, Pauwels at 18, Mourey at 23 with Vantornout gaining ground.

Van der Haar seemed to be having trouble with mud in pedals and was forced to pit with four to go. Pauwels also pitted, but was able to catch van der Haar. Stybar continued to put in digs, but Nys answered on the technical sections to stay with the Czech rider. Further back, Mourey continued to lose time and had the remnants of the chase group on his heels.

With three to go, Nys moved to the front, pushing the pace and opening small gaps. Stybar didn’t let Nys get too far ahead though, and continued to stay with him. Behind, Pawuels and van der Haar crashed, forcing Pauwels off his bike to straighten his bars. Both riders were quickly able to resume and it wasn’t long before the Belgian left van der Haar behind. Meeusen also crashed when his front wheel washed out from under him on a downhill right hand bend while riding behind Mourey.  He was able to rejoin the Frenchman quickly, but this section would be important later on in the race.

Stybar moved to the front with two laps to go, with Nys right on his wheel. At the same place Meeusen washed out, Stybar also lost grip, and hit the dirt. Nys was able to dismount and get around Stybar, opening up a gap as he pushed on. Nys almost crashed into barriers exiting a corner, pushing himself and his bike to the limits. Stybar fought to catch Nys, but every time he did, the Belgian would put in another dig. Nys might have been pushing too hard though, and hit the dirt rounding a 180 with the help of the post. His wheel turned in too much, and down he went. This gave Stybar the opportunity he needed to catch up, and move to the front. He powered through the rutted mud section, but Nys caught on and the two road on to start the final lap. The race for third swung into the Belgians’ favor Pauwels and Vantornout linked up and van der Haar dangled a few seconds back, unable to make the catch. Even further back, the chase group which now included Meeusen, Peeters, Mourey, Simonek, and Bosmans were strung out a minute or further back.

The showdown at the front began as Nys and Stybar started the last lap. At the flyover, Stybar kicked, but Nys able to stay within a few lengths. Stybar kicked again, and  was finally able to create a gap when Nys was forced to dismount  on a muddy incline as he came up on Stybar. Nys tried to chase, but also seemed to be having issues with mud in his pedals, and Stybar opened a gap of about 8 seconds by time they road past the pits for the final time. Stybar decided to run the 180 tree and Nys made up a second or so by riding. Time is running out for Nys though as Stybar pushed the pace. At the final major run up, Stybar sprinted up, knowing he had one more down hill, one more climb, and the final straight seperating him from another championship. As Nys made it to the top, he knew his chance at keeping the jersey was over, and let up.

As Stybar turned onto the final straight, his lead had grown, giving him plenty of time to celebrate. He showed his appreciation to his bike by giving it a kiss as he neared the line. With arms in the air, he took the win with Nys in the background. With gold and silver locked up, the attention turned to bronze. Pauwels was able to distance himself from Vantornout, and came across 40 seconds behind the winner. Van der Haar, who had potential to land a medal, finished 6th, over a minute back.

Men’s Results

  1. Zdenek Stybar (Czech Republic) 1:05:29
  2. Sven Nys () 0:00:12
  3. Kevin Pauwels (Belgium) 0:00:40
  4. Klaas Vantornout (Belgium) 0:00:59
  5. Tom Meeusen (Belgium) 0:01:07
  6. Lars Van Der Haar (Netherlands) 0:01:22
  7. Rob Peeters (Belgium) 0:01:43
  8. Francis Mourey (France) 0:01:53
  9. Radomir Simunek (Czech Republic) 0:02:04
  10. Wietse Bosmans (Belgium) 0:02:11
  11. Philipp Walsleben () 0:02:27
  12. Corne Van Kessel (Netherlands) 0:02:29
  13. Enrico Franzoi (Italy)
  14. Julien Taramarcaz (Switzerland)
  15. Nicolas Bazin (France) 0:02:42
  16. Thijs Van Amerongen (Netherlands) 0:02:45
  17. Marcel Wildhaber (Switzerland) 0:02:50
  18. ( Of America) 0:02:55
  19. Eddy Van Ijzendoorn (Netherlands) 0:03:03
  20. Niels Albert (Belgium) 0:03:06
  21. Steve Chainel (France) 0:03:19
  22. Sascha Weber (Germany) 0:03:35
  23. Niels Wubben (Netherlands) 0:03:52
  24. Jeremy Powers (United States Of America) 0:04:06
  25. Arnaud Grand (Switzerland) 0:04:15
  26. Thijs Al (Netherlands)
  27. Fabien Canal (France) 0:04:36
  28. Simon Zahner (Switzerland)
  29. Ian Field (Great Britain) 0:04:38
  30. Bryan Falaschi (Italy) 0:04:45
  31. Ryan Trebon (United States Of America) 0:04:56
  32. Marcel Meisen (Germany) 0:05:11
  33. Javier Ruiz De Larrinaga Ibanez () 0:05:35
  34. Guillaume Perrot (France) 0:05:45
  35. Michael Schweizer (Germany) 0:05:51
  36. Lubomir Petrus (Czech Republic) 0:05:53
  37. Yu Takenouchi (Japan) 0:05:54
  38. Martin Haring (Slovakia) 0:05:59
  39. Aitor Hernandez Gutierrez (Spain) 0:06:13
  40. Calle Friberg (Sweden) 0:06:17
  41. Mariusz Gil (Poland) 0:06:31
  42. Vladimir Kyzivat (Czech Republic) 0:07:02
  43. Martin Loo (Estonia) -1 lap
  44. Kenneth Hansen (Denmark)  -1 lap
  45. Christian Helmig (Luxembourg)  -1 lap
  46. David Fletcher (Great Britain)  -1 lap
  47. Robert Gavenda (Slovakia)  -1 lap
  48. Allen Krughoff (United States Of America)  -1 lap
  49. Mike Garrigan () -2 laps
  50. Magnus Darvell (Sweden) -2 laps
  51. Hikaru Kosaka (Japan) -2 laps
  52. Alexander Revell () -2 laps
  53. Angus Edmond (New Zealand) -3 laps
  54. Aaron Schooler (Canada) -3 laps
  55. Nick Both (Australia) -3 laps
  56. Morten Vaeng (Norway) -3 laps
  57. David Quist (Norway)-3 laps

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Tags: Australia, Belgium, Bend, Britain, Canada, Cycle racing, Cycle sport, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Jeremy Powers, Jonathan Page, Julien Taramarcaz, Kevin Pauwels, Klaas Vantornout, Lars van der Haar, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niels Albert, Norway, Philipp Walsleben, Poland, Rob Peeters, Ryan Trebon, Slovakia, Spain, Sven Nys, Switzerland, Tom Meeusen, United States, World Championship, Zdenek Stybar, chase group, cyclo-cross, cyclocross, downhill, jersey, running, wheels, world champion, world champions
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