Tibor Del Grosso claimed a very exciting Superprestige in Diegem. The Dutch champion fought a fierce duel with Thibau Nys. After a race full of plot twists, Del Grosso ultimately crossed the finish line first with a clear lead.
For the second year in a row, the Superprestige race in Diegem had to do without Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel. Besides Gullegem, it remains, despite its long-standing tradition, the only general classification race between mid-December and mid-January that both titans did not start. For the race organizers, this is always a bitter pill to swallow given the popularity of Van der Poel and Van Aert.
But history in Diegem has taught us that a cyclocross without the ‘Big Two’ is often even more unpredictable. Last year’s Diegem night race was only decided in the final meters after a nail-biting thriller. And with Thibau Nys and Tibor Del Grosso starting, cross fans could look forward to the 'Duel of the Future'.
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2025 |  Tibor Del Grosso |
| 2024 |  Laurens Sweeck |
| 2023 | Mathieu van der Poel |
| 2022 | Wout van Aert |
| 2019 | Mathieu van der Poel |
| 2018 | Mathieu van der Poel |
| 2017 | Mathieu van der Poel |
| 2016 | Mathieu van der Poel |
| 2015 | Mathieu van der Poel |
| 2014 | Mathieu van der Poel |
Chaos at the start, Del Grosso takes flight
In the women’s race, we already saw a crash in the first corner involving Inge van der Heijden, but in the elite men’s race it was chaos as well. Right after the starting gun, Michael Vanthourenhout popped out of his clipless pedal and made an unpleasant acquaintance with the asphalt. However, Vanthourenhout didn’t give up; he got back on his bike but faced a massive chase to catch back up.
Del Grosso was mostly unaffected by the chaos, as the Dutch champion blasted off like a rocket and immediately stirred things up. With a lightning-fast opening lap, he quickly thinned out the competition, although one rider was determined not to bow to his dominance. His name? Thibau Nys. The Belgian champion gave chase and kept pace for a long time with his peer.
Nys refuses to give in
More than that, after persistent pressure, Nys actually managed to bridge the gap to Del Grosso, setting the stage for an exciting head-to-head between the two national champions for the enthusiastic crowd. For a brief moment, Del Grosso tried to create some distance with a strong sand section, but the Baloise Glowi Lions rider was not ready to relent and quickly leveled the playing field.
However, this was short-lived since the sandpit once again played a critical role in the fifth lap. While Del Grosso glided flawlessly through the sand, Nys clearly struggled more with this section. The Belgian had to close yet another gap, but once again managed to save the situation. Warned, Nys then immediately took the lead to seize control.
Turn after turn
Del Grosso played it cool and seemed to be plotting a plan for the final phase. The pace noticeably slowed down, and Joran Wyseure took full advantage. The Crelan-Corendon rider had found his rhythm and joined the duo in lap seven. But Wyseure barely rejoined before Del Grosso accelerated once again through the sand section. This time, Nys was alert.
This was the signal for Del Grosso to ease off slightly, giving Wyseure the chance to catch up again and even take the lead. The West Flemish rider was clearly focused on securing a podium spot while Nys and Del Grosso held back. But not for long, as Nys and Del Grosso unleashed everything again heading for a deceptive little hill. They entered the sharp corner side-by-side, but Del Grosso popped out of his clipless pedal.
Nys tries once more but explodes
Was this the deciding moment in the race? Del Grosso had to briefly dismount, losing ground and momentum, but then it was Nys who made a mistake in the sandpit. The Belgian champion went over the bars, taking Wyseure down with him, while Del Grosso managed to swerve around and suddenly opened up a nice lead. Nys had to regroup but then made one final attempt to reel Del Grosso back in.
For a moment, it looked like he might succeed, since entering the last lap the gap was still only six seconds. But Nys had clearly overestimated himself and hit the wall. He not only had to let Del Grosso go but also couldn’t keep up with Wyseure. Thus, the race was ultimately settled decisively. Del Grosso soloed in the final minutes to a memorable victory.
🚵🇧🇪 | The second Dutch champion to win in Diegem: Tibor Del Grosso!
📺 Watch cross on HBO Max pic.twitter.com/Rvu7MO5fub
— Eurosport Netherlands (@Eurosport_NL) December 30, 2025
Wyseure managed to position himself between Del Grosso and Nys, finishing second. Nys had to settle for third, ahead of the strong Mees Hendrix, Niels Vandeputte, and Michael Vanthourenhout, who finished sixth after an incredibly strong chase and is definitely still in the running for the overall Superprestige title.
photo: Fotopersburo Cor Vos
photo: Fotopersburo Cor Vos
photo: Fotopersburo Cor Vos
photo: Fotopersburo Cor Vos
Telenet Superprestige Diegem| Rank | Rider | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 01:00:18 | |
| 2 | + 03 | |
| 3 | + 21 | |
| 4 | + 22 | |
| 5 | + 26 | |
| 6 | + 34 | |
| 7 | " | |
| 8 | + 42 | |
| 9 | + 48 | |
| 10 | + 50 |
| Rank | Rider | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Niels Vandeputte | 76 | |
| 2 | Michael Vanthourenhout | 74 | |
| 3 | (3) | Joran Wyseure | 51 |
| 4 | (1) | Joris Nieuwenhuis | 47 |
| 5 | Jente Michels | 45 | |
| 5 | (1) | Emiel Verstrynge | 45 |
| 7 | (1) |  Felipe Orts Lloret | 36 |
| 8 |  Kevin Kuhn | 32 | |
| 9 | (6) | Tibor Del Grosso | 30 |
| 9 | (2) | Toon Vandebosch | 30 |
