


Amandine Fouquenet was already considered one of the cyclocross revelations, but the French champion has now secured her first major victory on the international cyclocross scene. On Tuesday, Fouquenet was the strongest in the Superprestige of Heusden-Zolder.
During the busy holiday season, even full-time cyclocross riders have to make choices nowadays, so not all the top riders started in the Superprestige of Heusden-Zolder. Among the women, the almost unbeatable Lucinda Brand this season was a no-show, and her compatriots Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado, Puck Pieterse, and Shirin van Anrooij were also nowhere to be seen.
Fortunately, the organization could count on the presence of season revelation Aniek van Alphen, European champion Inge van der Heijden, and international stars like Amandine Fouquenet and Blanka Vas, who returned to the field after a few weeks away. These riders prepared for the now classic high-speed cross on and around the Circuit of Terlaemen.
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2025 | |
| 2023 | |
| 2022 | |
| 2021 | |
| 2020 | |
| 2019 | |
| 2018 | |
| 2017 | |
| 2016 | |
| 2015 |
Vas is back
After a few weeks of absence, Vas was eager to dive back into the cyclocross and had an excellent start. The Hungarian initially had to give way to the Spanish Lucía Gonzalez Blanco but quickly took over the lead, though mostly adopting a wait-and-see approach. The SD Worx-Protime rider took the first lap but the first serious selection was yet to come.
Schreiber and Fouquenet in deep concentration - photo: Fotopersburo Cor Vos
Just before entering the second lap, as they entered the famous Terlaemen race circuit, Fouquenet took over from Vas. The French champion—who despite an excellent cyclocross winter still lives in uncertainty about her future—decided to open the throttle for the first time. Van der Heijden sensed the danger and soon took over but was in turn overtaken by Vas again.
Tension before the victory
In the opening phase, the lead of the race went back and forth. Fouquenet, Vas, Van der Heijden, Van Alphen, and Schreiber were evenly matched. These five top riders started the third lap together—with a small gap over Fleur Moors and Marion Norbert Riberolle. What followed was a cat-and-mouse game among the leaders. At times the pace surged, but just as often, it slowed down again.
The stop-and-go riding played into the hands of pursuers Moors and Norbert Riberolle, as they got the chance to catch up in the penultimate lap. However, this was short-lived, because just before entering the final lap Fouquenet saw her moment to lay her cards on the table. The Frenchwoman made a gap of about twenty metres as she entered the start-finish straight.

Vive la Fouquenet! - photo: Fotopersburo Cor Vos
Revelation Fouquenet can now celebrate too
This proved a decisive moment in the race. While the chasers mainly watched each other, the unleashed Fouquenet kept extending her lead,. She soloed in convincing fashion to one of the biggest wins of her career. Vas and Van Alphen—who clearly weren't the best of friends in the final phase—took the closest podium places.
🚵🇧🇪 | What a victory! Amandine Fouquenet is still without a team for next year, but here in Heusden-Zolder, she grabs the first major win of her career. Who will offer this French champion a contract? 🇫🇷🔥
📺 Stream cyclocross on HBO Max! pic.twitter.com/RWUFQcoPzy
— Eurosport Nederland (@Eurosport_NL) December 23, 2025
| Rank | Rider | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 51:03 | |
| 2 | + 08 | |
| 3 | + 09 | |
| 4 | + 14 | |
| 5 | + 32 | |
| 6 | + 45 | |
| 7 | + 01:12 | |
| 8 | + 01:46 | |
| 9 | + 01:50 | |
| 10 | + 01:51 |
| Rank | Rider | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | (1) | 62 | |
| 1 | 62 | ||
| 3 | 61 | ||
| 4 | 44 | ||
| 5 | (1) | 39 | |
| 6 | (1) | 37 | |
| 7 | (2) | 36 | |
| 8 | (1) | 29 | |
| 9 | (1) | 27 | |
| 10 | 23 |