On Saturday, the Superprestige cyclocross in Gullegem is back on the schedule. Without Mathieu van der Poel or Wout van Aert at the start line, the organizers tried to lure Tadej Pogacar to Gullegem, but he didn’t come either. Still, the organizers can expect a great race for both men and women. WielerFlits looks ahead.
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2025 |  Wout van Aert |
| 2024 | Michael Vanthourenhout |
| 2023 | Wout van Aert |
| 2022 |  Tom Pidcock |
| 2021 |  Mathieu van der Poel |
| 2020 | Mathieu van der Poel |
| 2019 | Mathieu van der Poel |
Gullegem is primarily a typical West Flanders meadow cross, interrupted halfway by an artificial sandpit. For now, it’s not yet a course to win a major prize with, but organizers hope to work on further improving the circuit in the future. However, the course is located in a ‘park area’, and in such zones, you can’t just add extra hills here and there. Permits are required for that.
The course features two horizontal bridges over the Heulebeek stream, one bridge with stairs and one without, beams, a sandpit, a washboard, a hill, and a climbing section. Depending on weather conditions, it can become a tough mudcross with some running sections, but that doesn’t look likely for now. It is expected to be almost dry.
The start and finish are on Europalaan and Heulestraat in Gullegem.
Presale tickets for the Superprestige Diegem cost €16.50. On race day at the box office, a ticket costs €18.50. Children born after 2013 enter free.
Men
In the men’s race, there is no Thibau Nys, Tibor Del Grosso, Mathieu van der Poel, or Wout van Aert at the start. But that doesn’t have to be bad for the race dynamic. The level of riders starting is actually quite close. Joran Wyseure may have had a few standout performances in recent weeks, but that doesn’t mean he will just sail away with the win on Saturday. Still, the Belgian will have gained motivation in Baal, where he could keep up with Mathieu van der Poel for almost half an hour.
Joran Wyseure - photo: Fotopersburo Cor Vos
The biggest rivals for Wyseure seem to be two compatriots. Michael Vanthourenhout rode a strong race in Diegem despite finishing fifth, where he had to push forward from far back. The Belgian has been off the podium for several races now, but still maintains a very respectable level and on a good day will ‘simply’ compete for the win. The same goes for Niels Vandeputte, who is getting better and better this season. The Belgian had a tough start but has been extremely strong in recent weeks, with a provisional highlight being second place behind Mathieu van der Poel in Loenhout.
The final stars are for two Dutch riders and one Belgian. Joris Nieuwenhuis and Mees Hendrikx are also on paper strong contenders for a podium spot—or even the win. Nieuwenhuis experienced a setback due to a troublesome knee but seems to be back in form. Hendrikx, on the other hand, rides very consistently and in Diegem kept Nys off the podium. What the Dutch rider still lacks is a podium in a Belgian race. Jente Michels is also a contender in that regard.
Women
Several big names are also missing in the women’s field. Lucinda Brand and Puck Pieterse, for example, have skipped Gullegem, which opens up the fight for victory. The top favorite is now Amandine Fouquenet, and judging by recent weeks, that is more than justified. The fresh new rider for Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw is enjoying the best weeks of her career. She won in Heusden-Zolder and then scored podiums in Gavere and Dendermonde. Earlier this year, she also made the podium in Flamanville and Namur. In three of the four races, Fouquenet ran into Brand, but she is not here now.
Amandine Fouquenet - photo: Fotopersburo Cor Vos
Aniek van Alphen has also managed to beat Fouquenet in direct duels several times, but the Dutch rider is carrying a small dip in form. In the last two races she competed in, she finished seventh and lost the lead in the World Cup. A few days of rest may have done her good. Perhaps more interesting is to keep an eye on Kristyna Zemanova. The Czech cyclocross rider impressed over the Christmas period, finishing second behind Brand in Loenhout, her first podium in a Belgian race in years. Zoë Backstedt is also coming into form. After a rough start in Dendermonde (27th), she was back on the podium in Baal.
Marion Norbert Riberolle and Inge van der Heijden round out the favorites. The Belgian champion and European champion both look like safe bets for a top-six finish, but can either also challenge for the win? Norbert Riberolle is regaining form in recent weeks, while Van der Heijden has had a few weaker races. In Diegem she didn’t finish, and in Dendermonde she only placed 13th.
It is expected to be 3 degrees Celsius in Gullegem on Saturday. There will be no mudcross. Between 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm it will stay dry. Only in the morning might a few drops fall.
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Lucinda Brand |
| 2024 | Zoe Backstedt |
| 2023 | Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado |
| 2022 | Shirin van Anrooij |
| 2021 |  Kata Blanka Vas |
Telenet Superprestige - Hexia Cyclocross Gullegem| Rank | Rider | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 01:01:25 | |
| 2 | + 10 | |
| 3 | + 31 | |
| 4 | + 40 | |
| 5 | + 01:03 | |
| 6 | + 01:07 | |
| 7 | " | |
| 8 | + 01:08 | |
| 9 | + 01:14 | |
| 10 | + 01:34 |
Telenet Superprestige - Hexia Cyclocross Gullegem| Rank | Rider | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 44:22 | |
| 2 | + 06 | |
| 3 | " | |
| 4 | + 39 | |
| 5 | + 01:30 | |
| 6 | + 01:47 | |
| 7 | + 02:42 | |
| 8 | + 02:54 | |
| 9 | + 03:03 | |
| 10 | + 03:20 |
| # | Rider | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18.78% | |
| 2 | 15.76% | |
| 3 | 14.18% | |
| 4 | 10.16% | |
| 5 | 8.44% |
| # | Rider | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 31.30% | |
| 2 | 21.98% | |
| 3 | 17.45% | |
| 4 | 8.46% | |
| 5 | 5.72% |
