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LAS VEGAS – In a strong repeat performance, Sven Nys (Crelan – AA Drink) definitively soloed to the finish line in tonight’s Cross Vegas. Nys launched a brutal solo attack out of a large group of riders that had stayed together for the duration of the race. Lars van der Haar (Giant) took up the chase, with US National Champion Jeremy Powers (Aspire Racing), who had been carefully biding his time, following hotly behind.

The three past winners of CrossVegas finished in that order, each waving to the gathered fans. It was a contrast to the tight three-way sprint finish we saw just an hour earlier in the 2014 CrossVegas women’s race.

Sven Nys said he felt strong, and knew he could win. © LasalaImages.com

Sven Nys said he felt strong, and knew he could win. © LasalaImages.com

There was some controversy at the line, as rumors circulated that Nys was to be disqualified for taking a feed too early in the race. “I saw Sven going [into the pits] when we just had one lap,” said van der Haar. “I didn’t know what he was doing. He was a fair winner. I tried to get ahead of him before the barriers, but I couldn’t close the gap.”

In the end, however, Nys took the top podium spot and the fastest lap award—retaining his crown for another year—and just was penalized with a 1000 Swiss francs.

With stiff competition on a course that kept racers tightly packed, Powers gave a strong performance, coming in only seconds behind the top two ranked riders in the world to take third.

The fans may have been a bit to rowdy at this years’ event, spraying beer on even the front of the race and most famous of riders. Van der Haar angrily reported having beer thrown in his face several times during the race. “If they keep throwing beer,” he said, “I’m not coming back. That’s not cycling, that’s not cyclocross, so please stop doing that.”

Adam Craig, in contrast, embraced the revelry to the extent that he paused during a phenomenal ride at the head of the race to pick up a dollar bill on the course.

2014 CrossVegas Conditions: Hot, Damp Course

Though it had rained in the days prior, sogging down the thick grass and making the corners treacherous, the night was well into the nineties as the elite men shot off the starting line. Belgian-born Ben Berden (Raleigh-Clement) took to the front to lead the opening turns, with Nys, van der Haar, and a contingent of Telenet Fidea riders in tow. The wet grass and open course kept racers together, allowing many faces –  Geoff Kabush, Allen Krughoff, and Troy Wells among them – to mix shoulders at the front.

Simon Zahner took several flyers off the front but they didn't stick. © LasalaImages.com

Simon Zahner took several flyers off the front but they didn’t stick. © LasalaImages.com

Wells, however, while attempting to hop a barrier, mistimed and came crashing down. For most of the race, the lead pack had criterium-like qualities, swollen with riders that would bunch up or string out as the pace in the front accelerated and softened. Notable presences were Anthony Clark (Jam/NCC Squid Bikes) and Cameron Dodge (Pure Energy/SCOTT Bikes), and Shawn Milne (Boulder Cycle Sport).

Lars van der Haar was never far from the front. © LasalaImages.com

Lars van der Haar was never far from the front. © LasalaImages.com

Accelerations by first Thijs van Amerongen (Telenet Fidea), then Nys, and Adam Craig all saw the group stretch to a near breaking point, at times thinning to as few as five riders, but always swelling again as no rider could commit to fully powering away on the energy-sapping grass. Nys’ teammate, Sven Vanthourenhout, took much of the pacing duties during the race, and it began to look as if the 2014 Vegas crown would be decided by a sprint between a large cadre of racers.

The King Rides Alone

But Nys, perhaps not trusting his own sprinting legs against the likes of van der Haar, chose his moment. As riders jockeyed for position –  Jeremy Powers notable among them, who steadily moved himself into the top three, and wisely only took a single voyage to the front of the race –  Nys accelerated into the barriers, hopped them with ease to create the necessary gap, and then exploded away. “He’s sending me home to work on my barriers!” laughed Powers after the race.

The key moment of the race - Nys hopped while van der Haar ran, creating the final gap. © LasalaImages.com

The key moment of the race – Nys hopped while van der Haar ran, creating the final gap. And we see a step-through by  U23 racer Soete! © LasalaImages.com

Though van der Haar responded, it was too late: Nys was gone. Powers pulled away from the remaining chasers, and looked to be closing on van der Haar in the final turns, but had to settle for third place, the top placed American, happy to see his form is coming along nicely.

Sven Nys remains undefeated in the States with a defense in Vegas. © Cyclocross Magazine

Sven Nys remains undefeated in the States with a defense in Vegas. © Cyclocross Magazine

Nys, in turn, looks ready to take on the world.

CrossVegas 2014 Men's Podium: l to r: Lars van der Haar, Sven Nys, Jeremy Powers © Cyclocross Magazine

CrossVegas 2014 Men’s Podium: l to r: Lars van der Haar, Sven Nys, Jeremy Powers © Cyclocross Magazine

Stay tuned for a lot more photos and interviews from CrossVegas 2014.

2014 CrossVegas Preliminary Photo Gallery:

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2014 CrossVegas Elite Men's Cyclocross Race Results

PlaceBibLAST FirstTeamCountryTime
115NYS SvenCrelan-Aa DrinksBEL1:03:17
21VAN DER HAAR LarsDevelopment Team Giant-ShimanoNED1:03:21
329POWERS JeremyRapha FocusUSA1:03:29
424HERMANS Quinten *Telenet Fidea Cycling TeamBEL1:03:34
538VANTHOURENHOUT SvenCrelan-Aa DrinksBEL1:03:36
633SOETE Daan *Telenet Fidea Cycling TeamBEL1:03:47
74KRUGHOFF AllenNoosa Professional CyclocrossUSA1:03:51
830MILNE ShawnBoulder Cycle Sport/ Yoga GloUSA1:03:53
913BERDEN BenRaleigh ClementBEL1:03:53
1078DODGE CameronPure Energy/Scott BikesUSA1:03:55
1110DRISCOLL JamesRaleigh ClementUSA1:03:59
1237CRAIG AdamGiant Factory Off-Road TeamUSA1:04:14
1349WELLS JakeStans No TubesUSA1:04:26
1418ZAHNER SimonEkz Racing TeamSUI1:04:31
1516VAN AMERONGEN ThijsTelenet Fidea Cycling TeamNED1:04:43
1620PAGE JonathanFuji/SpyUSA1:04:55
1722WINTERBERG LukasMueller Landscaping / Bh BicyclSUI1:05:05
1821KABUSH GeoffScott-3Rox RacingCAN1:05:34
1942RICHEY CraigTrek Red Truck Racing P/B MosaiCAN1:05:38
2017WILDHABER MarcelScott-Odlo Mtb Racing TeamSUI1:05:38
2114CLARK AnthonyJam/Ncc Squid BikesUSA1:05:39
229JOHNSON TimothyCannondale Pb Cyclocrossworld.CUSA1:06:05
2340ZANDSTRA DerekScott 3 Rox RacingCAN1:06:12
2457WICKS BarryKonaUSA1:06:13
2528LINDINE JustinRedline / NbxUSA1:06:15
2646HOKE MitchellThe Pro'S Closet CxUSA1:06:21
2779SITLER JacobSeavs/Haymarket Pb Van DesselUSA1:06:27
2880DECKER CarlGiant Factory Off-Road TeamUSA1:06:36
2952GAFFNEY Lewis *American Classic Raleigh Pro CxUSA1:07:05
3012DURRIN JeremyNeon Velo Cycling TeamUSA1:07:06
3151SONNTAG BenjaminTeam Clif BarGER1:07:19
3255MCDONALD ZachKccx Elite Cyclocross Team P/BUSA1:07:59
3334WERNER KerryOptum P/B Kely Benefit StrategiUSA1:08:02
3439MYERSON AdamCycle-SmartUSA1:08:03
3581TURNER ThomasTeam JamisUSA1:08:03
3636WELLS TroyTeam Clif BarUSA1:08:31
3758REINECKE ElliotFocus BikesUSA1:08:43
3835KAISER Cody *Langetwins/SpecializedUSA1:08:56
3932VAN DEN HAM Michael *Trek Red Truck P/B Mosaic HomesCAN1:09:55
4050JOHNSON Joshua *Giant Factory Off-Road TeamUSA1:10:11
4141ORTENBLAD Tobin *California Giant Berry Farms -USA1:10:50
4261AITKEN Christopher *Focus Bikes AustraliaAUS@2Laps
436MARION RobertAmerican Classic Pro CyclocrossUSA@2Laps
4445NIETERS JaredSeavs/Haymarket Pb Van DesselUSA@2Laps
4544MILLBURN GarryAttaquerAUS@2Laps
4653JACKSON ChrisCastex RacingUSA@2Laps
4754MCCONNELL MarkSynergy Racing P/B Sri ImportinCAN@3Laps
4856COPLEA Tyler *Velo Vie/ Hammer NutritionUSA@3Laps
4963KAPPIUS BradyTeam Clif BarUSA@3Laps
5066CHAPMAN Tom *Focus Bikes AustraliaAUS@4Laps
5162LEAN JadeFocus Bikes Australia Cx TeamAUS@5Laps
5248RYAN AlexMock Orange Pro Cx TeamUSA@5Laps
5331DUNLEA Sean *Neon Velo Cycling TeamGBR@5Laps
DNF77GARRIGAN MikeVan DesselCAN
DNF47ROBINSON Hugo *Neon Velo Cycling TeamGBR