Kaya improved on his silver from last year to take the title this time around, completing the 10.11 kilometre course in a swift time of 29.20 min.

He was out on his own after 3km but was later joined by Spain’s 2009 and 2013 champion Alemayehu Bezabeh, with the pair running together.

Turkey's runner had plenty in reserve, however, and was able to beat the Spaniard to the line by 0.11 sec.

Bronze went to Adel Mechaal, also of Spain, which meant that his country took men's team gold ahead of France and Great Britain.

"I am very happy because I finished second last year and it was important for me to win today," said Kaya.

"I planned to kick in the final lap and that's exactly what I did.

"I was ready for it as I knew I had the speed."

In the women's race, Hassan came home in 25:47 ahead of Great Britain’s Kate Avery, who took silver for the second year in a row, and Norway’s Karoline Bjerkeli Grovdal.

Britain were crowned as the team winners ahead of France and Ireland.

"The mounds were difficult to ride, I was getting tired more and more and the last kilometre was really difficult," said Hassan.

Elsewhere, the men's under-23 title went to Britain's Jonathan Davies while Belgium's Louise Carton won the women's equivalent. 

The event was the first missed by Russia after their suspension from athletics due to allegations of state-sponsored doping in a report released by the World Anti-Doping Agency Independent Commission.

Athletes in Hyères were invited to wear bibs with the motto "I run clean" to promote an anti-drugs message. 



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December 2015: Runners invited to wear “I Run Clean” bibs at European Cross Country Championships