Czech rider Zdenek Stybar captured his third world title cyclocross in Hoogerheide, the Netherlands, on Sunday.

Stybar and Nys, both two times world champions before the race, were the strongest of the pack and the race developed in a battle in the mud between the Belgian and the Czech. Both riders crashed, but managed to hold on. In the final round Stybar walked away from Nys on a walking part and kept his lead until the finish. Reigning champion Nys finished 0.12 behind Stybar.

Belgian Kevin Pauwels (+0.40) grabbed a bronze medal, before his compatriots Klaas Vantornout (+0.58) and Tom Meeusen (+1.07) and Dutchman Lars van der Haar (+1.21).

The 28-year-old Stybar also became world champion at Tabor, Czech Republic, in 2010 and in Sankt Wendel, Germany, in 2011. "I did not expect this one" , he said afterwards. "But the first one was the most special in front of my home crowd, incomparable with the other two. That was still the peak of my career."