Ferrand-Prevot ends the Cyclo-cross reign of Marianne Vos

Pauline Ferrand-Prevot ended the world championship dominance of Marianne Vos with a victory at the 2015 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships.

In muddy conditions which tested the riders and their bikes, Ferrand-Prevot (FRA) beat Belgian Sanne Cant in a sprint finish, with Vos (NED) claiming third.

The victory by Ferrand-Prevot, the 2014 road race world champion, ended Vos's six-year reign as UCI Cyclo-cross world champion.

Straight from the start the riders battled hard for position with Eva Lechner (ITA) an early casualty after a crash and mechanical ruled her out of contention.

Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (FRA) took the initiative and creating a gap on a group that contained all top favourites except for Katie Compton (USA) and Lechner.

Halfway into the second lap Ferrand-Prevot closed the gap on her compatriot and was joined by World Cup winner Cant who was marked by Vos, Nikki Harris (GBR) and Czech favourite Katerina Nash.

Ferrand-Prevot attacked again to gap her rivals to the penultimate lap but remained in sight after determined work by Nash.

Cant later launched a successful bridge to Ferrand-Prevot and then hit the front to force the pace.

The pair then rode together into the final lap, and with the finish line in sight, Ferrand-Prevot opened up the sprint with Cant falling short by a single second.

(Lindsay Gorrell of Australia)

The women's podium)

Elite women's results

1 Pauline Ferrand Prevot (FRA) 49min 10sec

2 Sanne Cant (BEL) 0:00:01

3 Marianne Vos (NED) 0:00:15

4 Nikki Harris (GBR) 0:00:21

5 Katerina Nash (CZE) 0:00:36

6 Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (FRA) 0:00:56

7 Helen Wyman (GBR) 0:01:21

8 Ellen Van Loy (BEL) 0:01:35

9 Christine Majerus (LUX) 0:01:54

10 Sophie De Boer (NED) 0:01:56

44 Lindsay Gorrell (AUS) 0:09:05