Igorrre@UCI Cyclo Cross World Cup 2011/12

Highlights from the 4th leg of the 2011/12 Patrick UCI Cyclo Cross World Cup in Igorre / Spain
Super-consistent Kevin Pauwels (Sunweb -- Revor) captured his second World Cup victory of the season in Igorre, Spain, during the fourth round of the 2011-2012 Patrick UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup.

Pauwels strengthens his overall lead in the Elite Men category of the World Cup in front of Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet) who was runner-up in the Basque Country. Young rider Tom Meeusen (Telenet -- Fidea) completed the Belgian podium on Sunday.

The first laps on the more or less dry course in cloudy Igorre were dominated by Belgian rider Rob Peeters (Telenet -- Fidea), Italian rider Enrico Franzoi (Selle Italia Guerciotti) and Czech rider Radomir Simunek (BKCP -- Powerplus). However, while the three early leaders searched for their second breath, Sven Nys hammered through. During the third lap he blew the front of the race apart and gathered a lead of 13s on the main chase group, which included World Cup leader Pauwels. Although Pauwels could not immediately find the space to close the gap, he moved up a gear a lap later, with reigning World Champion Zdenek Stybar (Quickstep Cycling Team) on his wheel. Pauwels bridged up to Nys in half a lap, but Stybar (CZE) lost touch with Pauwels, failing to close the final gap on the Belgian duo in front.

The two leaders checked each other out for two laps until bad luck struck Nys: a flat tire on the long and steep uphill section of the Spanish course. The pit zone wasn't too far away and Nys only lost about seven seconds on Pauwels but the latter chose to use this advantage to test his legs. Nys worked his way back to no less than four seconds but then steadily lost ground. After a battle of nearly two laps Nys cracked and the 35 year-old had to settle for second place.

Further back, the Belgian duo Meeusen and Bart Aernouts (Rabobank -- Giant -- Off road Team) caught up with Stybar and soon left the World Champion behind. Just before starting the final sprint for third place, Aernouts hit the deck, offering 23 year-old Meeusen his first World Cup podium of the season. Stybar finished fifth and a little later French Champion Francis Mourey (FDJ) won the group sprint for sixth place ahead of Simunek, Dieter Vanthourenhout (BKCP-Powerplus), Franzoi, Steve Chainel (FDJ) and Klaas Vantornout (Sunweb -- Revor).

Cyclo-cross isn't yet quite the favorite discipline for mountain bike star José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Multivan Hermida Biking Team). The home rider finished 22nd in Igorre. Four spots ahead of him Egoitz Murgoitio Rekalde received the honour of being the first local rider.

At the halfway stage of the 2011-2012 Patrick UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup, leader Pauwels now has a margin of 15 points over Nys. World Champion Stybar trails Pauwels by 50 points. The eleventh place from Vantornout in Igorre moves him down from fourth to seventh overall.

The next round of the Patrick UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup will be held in Namur, in the Walloon region of Belgium, on December 18th. It'll be the first time the World Cup visits the spectacular course on the slopes of the historic citadel of Namur.

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