After several weeks of lightning-fast circuits, the Mother of All cyclocross races in Overijse will bring new momentum to the cyclocross winter. We expect rain, wind, mud, and plenty of climbing meters,—in short, a true cyclocross. Which riders will rise to the top? Cyclingflash looks ahead.
Overijse is a classic on the cyclocross circuit, and you don’t want to change it too much. Chris Mannaerts and his team barely alter the course compared to previous editions, except for a few corners that have been redesigned. Last year the start area was moved back to the center in Dekeyserstraat, and that will be maintained.
The climbing course in Overijse delivers plenty of spectacle every year; it’s one of the toughest and most varied circuits in the cyclocross calendar. A large part of the course still runs through the forest. There the terrain is constantly up and down, making it a truly exhausting race. Add some rain to that, and the Overijse course quickly turns into a slippery affair.
In the first part of the circuit, the climbing sections define the lap; towards the finish, strong descending skills are also essential. The final straight is fairly long—long enough to set up a fine sprint.
Overijse delivers a showdown that many riders and teams have been looking forward to for a while. As former world champion Bart Wellens reminded us last week: “Believe me, all those fast cyclocross races are maddening if you’re a rider. Constantly fighting for your position, thinking tactically. In Overijse there won’t be time for that. It’s a race where the legs speak, and the same goes for the Koppenberg the following week. There, all riders can unleash their strength and finally everyone will take their rightful place.”
After all the fast cyclocross races of recent weeks, the power riders now have their chance. Since the season is still young, we can’t name a clear top favorite yet. However, this will be the last opportunity to score before Thibau Nys returns to the fray. The leader of the Baloise Glowi Lions is back from Koppenberg onwards, which for now leaves the pressure on Sven Nys’s team on Lars van der Haar and Pim Ronhaar, who finished a strong second in the most recent Nacht van Woerden.
One rider who undeniably possesses strong climbing legs is Toon Aerts. We vividly remember the times when the 31-year-old from Deschacht-Hens-FSP battled Mathieu van der Poel on the Citadel of Namur, and Aerts has only gotten stronger since.
After a successful road campaign with Lotto, where Aerts experienced a WorldTour program for the first time, he seems to be approaching the best version of himself. being able to start again from the front row, which wasn’t the case shortly after his suspension last season, also helps.
Toon Aerts has started the winter strongly – photo: Fotopersburo Cor Vos
Just below Aerts, we expect names like Joris Nieuwenhuis (Ridley Racing Team) and Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw), not coincidentally the two riders who dominated the first classification race of the season in Ruddervoorde. Both admitted afterward that the circuit did not suit them at all, but it does show their form is in good shape. In Overijse, they can deploy their power even more.
But the cyclocross peloton in 2025 is so wide open that many more riders have a chance to win. We saw this in Ruddervoorde, where up to the final lap 15 riders were still contesting the victory. Although the circuit is not 100% suited to them, you should never discount men like Joran Wyseure and Laurens Sweeck (Crelan-Corendon). Their teammate Emiel Verstrynge, a genuine climber who even finished the Tour this year, could be the day’s surprise.
Additionally, we must mention the incredibly consistent Niels Vandeputte (Alpecin-Deceuninck) as well as Spanish champion Felipe Orts. The Ridley rider claimed the Nacht van Woerden on Tuesday evening but has also been striving for that first win in a classification race for some time. We don’t rule that out in Overijse. Jente Michels (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Cameron Mason (Seven Racing) also deserve a mention.
Women
We’re also curious which shifts in rankings a tougher course will bring among the women. In Ardooie, Ruddervoorde, and Essen, everything stayed tightly packed and several riders had a chance to win, but that could be different in Overijse. Especially since Lucinda Brand can finally truly unleash her strength in this cyclocross season.
The 36-year-old Brand seems to be more than ever selecting the races that suit her well. For instance, she skipped the Superprestige opener in Ruddervoorde but started—and won—in Ardooie and Essen. Age is just a number, as proven by the leader of the Baloise Glowi Lions. She also didn’t miss the podium once last year. For us, she is the clear top favorite.
Brand will have to contend with world champion Fem van Empel, whose condition is improving. In Ruddervoorde, where Van Empel finished sixth, she still looked fragile and even uncertain. A few days later at the Nacht van Woerden, Van Empel managed to take control of the race. This demonstrates Van Empel’s absolute class, which she will show again in Heerde and Overijse.
Van Empel takes her first win – photo: Fotopersburo Cor Vos
An unknown factor is Blanka Vas, the Hungarian champion of SD Worx-Protim. She will contest her first race of the season in Overijse, but from previous winters we know a good Vas can win at the highest level. The same goes for the Crelan-Corendon riders, such as Inge van der Heijden, Sara Casasola and Marion Norbert-Riberolle, all of whom have already won a race this winter.
Moreover, the same rule applies as with their male counterparts: never count anyone out. Last weekend, out of nowhere, French champion Amandine Fouquenet stood on the podium. Her countrywoman Hélène Clauzel is also not far from the top, as is in-form rider Aniek van Alphen (Seven Racing).
Although we’ll face quite a bit of precipitation leading up to the race in Overijse, it should remain mostly dry on the day of the Telenet Superprestige itself. According to Meteovista, the chance of rain is 30%, mainly in the morning. Temperatures will rise up to a maximum of 9 degrees Celsius, with a strong westerly wind continuing to blow.
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2025 |  Michael Vanthourenhout |
| 2024 | Thibau Nys |
| 2023 | Eli Iserbyt |
| 2022 | Michael Vanthourenhout |
| 2021 | Eli Iserbyt |
| 2021 | Wout van Aert |
| 2019 |  Mathieu van der Poel |
| 2018 | Toon Aerts |
| 2017 | Mathieu van der Poel |
| 2016 | Mathieu van der Poel |
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2025 |  Sara Casasola |
| 2024 | Lucinda Brand |
| 2023 | Fem van Empel |
| 2022 | Puck Pieterse |
| 2021 |  Kata Blanka Vas |
| 2021 | Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado |
| 2019 | Annemarie Worst |
| 2018 | Lucinda Brand |
| 2017 |  Pauline Ferrand-Prévot |
| 2016 | Sophie de Boer |
Telenet Superprestige Overijse| Rank | Rider | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 57:29 | |
| 2 | + 02 | |
| 3 | + 05 | |
| 4 | + 18 | |
| 5 | + 30 | |
| 6 | + 32 | |
| 7 | + 34 | |
| 8 | + 40 | |
| 9 | + 41 | |
| 10 | + 52 |
Telenet Superprestige Overijse| Rank | Rider | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 47:20 | |
| 2 | + 10 | |
| 3 | + 35 | |
| 4 | + 01:26 | |
| 5 | + 01:46 | |
| 6 | + 02:11 | |
| 7 | + 02:26 | |
| 8 | + 02:30 | |
| 9 | " | |
| 10 | + 02:35 |
| # | Rider | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 38.72% | |
| 2 | 13.19% | |
| 3 | 8.55% | |
| 4 | 6.33% | |
| 5 | 5.04% |
| # | Rider | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 70.10% | |
| 2 | 11.67% | |
| 3 | 6.97% | |
| 4 | 3.20% | |
| 5 | 2.18% |
Telenet Superprestige Overijse
