Despite a shaky start, two crashes and constant pressure from a top field, Sven Nys still took the win in the fourth round of the UCI World Cup of cyclocross on Saturday in Koksijde, Belgium. Holland's Daphny van den Brand took the win in the women's race, finishing seven seconds ahead of American Katie Compton (Spike-Shooter).

In the men's race, the current World Cup leader and reigning champion, Nys scored his third successive win at Koksijde, riding away from the competition on the last of 10 laps of a tough, sandy and hilly 2.775km course.

Nys, who often dominates ‘cross events from the gun, didn’t have an easy time of it on Saturday. He quickly lost time on the opening lap, missing the first big move from Rabobank teammate Lars Boom of the Netherlands.

Boom had an explosive start, charging to the head of the 49-rider field and grabbing the hole shot as the course took a hard right turn off of the pavement and onto a short stretch of hard-packed dirt before hitting the first of five sandy stretches that punctuated the course.

Boom, who took round three of the World Cup two weeks ago in Pijnacker in the Netherlands, set a strong tempo, with only Fidea’s Klass Vantornout able to hold his wheel.

With Boom setting the pace, the duo built a 13-second lead on a strong chase group composed of current and former world champions Erwin Vervecken and Bart Wellens (Fidea); Sven Vanthourenhout (Sunweb); and Czech rider Radomír Simunek (Palmans-Cras) by the end of lap one. Surprisingly, Nys appeared to be struggling to hold the tempo of a larger chase group another 10 seconds behind, riding with teammate Bart Aernouts, Richard Groenendall (AA Sport Drinks) and American Jonathan Page (Sunweb,) among others.

With the Wellens/Vervecken chase gaining speed on lap two, Boom found himself with something of a dilemma as he faced the prospect of riding against three Fideas or holding out hope that Nys could bridge back up. But Boom needn’t worry as Nys, too, upped the pace and narrowed the gap through a difficult sandy section, bringing only Groenendaal with him. Page faded back and out of contention; he would not finish.

Wellens and company managed to bridge up to Boom, and the young Dutchman was happy to sit in, with Nys chasing hard behind. Wellens, however, saw the gap back to the World Cup leader as an opportunity and put in a big effort at the front with Vanthourenhout on his wheel.

By lap six, Nijs had narrowed the gap to just five seconds, but crashed – for the first of two times – on an off-camber and sandy corner near the start/finish.

But the 31-year-old Nys stayed relaxed, continued to drive the chase, with Groenendaal right on his wheel. When Wellens was finally caught, it was Groenendaal who decided it might be time to try his own luck and set off on a one-lap charge that never saw him gain more than a handful of seconds over his nearest pursuer.

With the lead changing hands on every lap, Nys stayed cool and finally moved to the front for good on the last of 10 laps. Only the tenacious Vantornout could stay with him and that for only half a lap. Nys soloed to victory, with Vervecken fighting it out for second and a resurgent Boom rounding out the top three.

"I love this course," said Nys. "I enjoy the challenge of the sand and despite the fact that I had a bad start, I had plenty of time to make up for that. I didn't panic. That was important today."

The fifth round of the World Cup is scheduled for December 2, in Igorre, Spain.Women
The sandy terrain appeared to suit Van den Brand better than the rest of the women’s field, who showed her handling skills on the tough Koksijde course.

The Dutch World Cup leader joined reigning world champion Maryline Salvetat in a second-lap charge. The two maintained a healthy lead over American Katie Compton, until Van den Brand took her chances with a solo attack with slightly more than a lap remaining.

The split helped Compton’s efforts as the American reeled in and passed Salvetat, but she was unable to catch the hard-charging Van den Brand, who finished seven seconds ahead of the second-place finisher.

Salvetat rounded out the top three, finishing 10 seconds behind the day’s winner.

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UCI World Cup -Round 4
Men
1. Sven Nys (B), Rabobank 1:07:37
2. Erwin Vervecken (B), Fidea, at 0:04
3. Lars Boom (Nl), Rabobank, at 0:04
4. Klaas Vantornout (B), Fidea, at 0:11
5. Bart Wellens (B), Fidea, at 0:21
6. Richard Groenendaal (Nl), AA Sport Drinks, at 0:23
7. Sven Vanthourenhout (B), Sunweb, at 0:29
8. Bart Aernouts (B), Rabobank 0:41
9. Wilant Van Gils (Nl), ZZPR.nl, at 0:46
10. Gerben De Knegt (Nl), Rabobank, at 1:02
11. Dieter Vanthourenhout (B), Easypay, at 1:11
12. Thijs Al (Nl), BeOne CRC, at 1:28
13. Christian Heule (Swi), Stevens Racing, at 1:59
14. Rob Peeters (B), Landbouwkrediet, at 2:09
15. Zdenek Stybar (Cz), Fidea, at 2:09
16. Marco Aurelio Fontana (I), Selle Italia Guerciotti, at 2:34
17. Philipp Walsleben (G), Heinz von Heiden Focus, at 2:46
18. Jan Verstraeten (B), Sunweb, at 2:55
19. Simon Zahner (Swi), Bürgis, at 3:05
20. Malte Urban (G), Heinz von Heiden Focus, at 3:26
21. Maarten Nijland (Nl), Ruiter Dakkapellen, at 3:39
22. Kevin Pauwels (B), Fidea, at 3:43
23. Jean-Pierre Leijten (Nl), at 3:46
24. Milan Barenyi (Svk), CK ZP Sport, at 3:54
25. Václav Metlicka (Svk), Kral R.C. Pfeil, at 4:07
26. Marek Cichosz (Pol), CWKS Legia Warszawa, at 4:39
27. David Derepas (F), VC Roubaix Lille Metropole, at 4:47
28. Kamil Ausbuher (Cz), Easypay, at 5:26
29. Lukás Kloucek (Cz), Selle Italia Guerciotti, at 6:04
30. Johannes Sickmüller (G), Harvestehuder, at 6:17
31. Marco Bianco (I), Arcobaleno Carraro, at 6:28
32. Robert Glajza (Svk), CK ZP Sport, at 6:30
33. Rafael Visinelli (I), GS Forestale, at 6:33
34. Jan Chrobák (Cz), Johnson Controls AS, at 7:04
35. Gusty Bausch (Lux), at 7:08
36. Joachim Parbo (Dk), CCV-Cicli Protek, at
37. David Menger (Cz), Budvar Tábor, at
38. Marius Gil (Pol), at 7:47
39. Roy Van Heeswijk (Nl), at 8:01
40. Robert Jebb (GB), at 8:01
41. Ondrej Bambula (Cz), Budvar Tábor , at 1-Lap
42. Jan Ramsauer (Swi), Campione Celeste-Haba , at 1-LapDid not Finish
Enrico Franzoi (I), Lampre-Fondital
Jonathan Page (USA), Sunweb
Jonathan Baker (USA), Primus Mootry
Radomír Simunek (Cz), Palmans-Cras
Martin Vestby (Nor), Time-Van Hemert
 Women
1. Daphny van den Brand (Nl), ZZPR.nl, at 41:32
2. Katie Compton (USA), Spike Shooter, at 0:07
3. Maryline Salvetat (F), VSLL Castres, at 0:10
4. Reza Hormes-Ravenstijn (Nl), ZZPR.nl, at 0:40
5. Helen Wyman (GB), Global Racing, at 0:42
6. Stephanie Pohl (G), Getränke-Hoffmann, at 0:42
7. Sanne Cant (B), ASD Selle Italia Guerciotti, at 1:04
8. Arenda Grimberg (Nl), Ton van Bemmelen Sports-OdySis 1:24
9. Pavla Havlikova (Cz), KC Kooperativa SG Jablonec, at 1:42
10. Mirjam Melchers-Van Poppel (Nl), Flexpoint, at 1:52
11. Nadia Triquet-Claude (F), UC Bassin Houiller, at 2:06
12. Lyne Bessette (Can), Cyclecrossworld.com, at 2:11
13. Katrien Pauwels (B), Empella Czech, at 2:13
14. Veerle Ingels (B), AVB/USspa, at 2:18
15. Birgit Hollmann (G), Getränke-Hoffmann, at 2:42
16. Saskia Elemans (Nl), WV de Meteoor, at 2:48
17. Christelle Ferrier-Bruneau (F), Les Pruneaux D'Agen, at 3:06
18. Abke Francissen (Nl), Brabant 2000, at 3:14
19. Susanne Juranek (G), RSC Oldenburg 1965, at 3:21
20. Elke Riedl (Nl), Restore Cycling, at 3:24
21. Linda Van Rijen (Nl), DSB Bank, at 4:16
22. Anja Nobus (B), Wielerclub Oostende Noordzee, at 4:35
23. Katrien Aerts (B), Benelux, at 4:50
24. Joyce Vanderbeken (B), Lingier-Versluys, at 4:50
25. Gabriella Day (GB), Global Racing, at 4:59
26. Maureen Bruno Roy (USA), IF Wheelworks, at 5:01
27. Nicole Kampeter (G), RC Endspurt Herford, at 5:17
28. Daniela Bresciani (I), Colnago-Arrighini, at 5:33
29. Christine Vardaros (USA), Vanderkitten, at 5:38
30. Mika Ogishima (Jpn), UWTC de Volharding, at 5:46
31. Veronica Alessio (I), Desenzanese Asd, at 5:57
32. Vania Rossi (I), Selle Italia-Guerciotti, at 6:32
33. Gertie Willems (B), Wielerpromotieclub, at 6:54Did Not Finish
Sanne Van Paassen (Nl), DSB Bank
Suzie Godart (Lux), Fenixs-HPB