Vandeputte stays cautious in Superprestige, Vanthourenhout regrets wrong choice in Gullegem

Niels Vandeputte triumphed on Saturday in the Superprestige Gullegem. That victory “did him a lot of good,” said the Alpecin-Premier Tech rider, who also made a significant gain in the Superprestige standings. However, with only the final race left, he is not counting his chickens yet. Michael Vanthourenhout, who suffered a chain issue in Gullegem, is still right on his heels.

"The level is very high this season. Winning a top cross isn’t easy, so to manage that during the holiday period really feels great," Vandeputte said after his win in Gullegem during an interview with Sporza.

Thanks to his victory, Vandeputte now holds a three-point lead over Vanthourenhout. "I had a two-point lead, now it’s one point more. It’s not a huge luxury yet, but I’m happy with where I stand. And if it doesn’t work out, at least I’ve won a round this season."

Vanthourenhout had to settle for second place in Gullegem. During the final lap, there were several lead changes with Vandeputte, but ultimately Vanthourenhout had to concede. He revealed afterward that he experienced a chain problem in the finale. "When I tried to push again, I felt my chain slip because of the snow and dirt. It’s my own fault; I should have swapped bikes."

Although Vanthourenhout saw his deficit to Vandeputte widen, he is not giving up on the Superprestige just yet. "Everything can still happen in the final round in Middelkerke. I’m still believing, and we’ll see what happens."