Niels Vandeputte (Alpecin-Premier Tech) timed his sprint to perfection at Saturday’s Aardbeiencross in Merksplas, coming around Joran Wyseure (Crelan-Corendon) on the finishing straight to claim his first cyclo-cross win of the 2026-27 season. Spanish champion Felipe Orts (Euskaltel-Euskadi) completed the podium in a tactical round four of the Superprestige series.
What Happened
Sunny, dry conditions set up an 11-lap tactical battle in which positioning — especially heading into the deep sand section riders hit every lap — mattered more than raw power. Vandeputte took the holeshot and led the opening lap before Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw went to the front, with Michael Vanthourenhout directing teammate Yordi Corsus to lift the pace and split the field to 25 riders after three laps.
The race turned on the fourth lap. Vanthourenhout, one of the pre-race favourites, hit the ground hard after teammate Gerben Kuypers clipped a pole on a left-hand corner. The Belgian slapped the turf in frustration and eventually walked away with his kit torn at the hip, his day over. The crash also delayed overnight series leader Cameron Mason, who burned matches chasing back on and never recovered, trailing home 15th.
From a front group whittled to seven, Wyseure lit up the final two laps, attacking in and out of every corner and leading into the sand on the bell lap. Out of the final sand section he had a few seconds with only Vandeputte on his wheel. Wyseure led onto the finishing straight — but that proved the wrong place to be. Vandeputte swung around him and threw up his arms, with the pair credited the same time of 1:01:24. Orts closed late to take third at two seconds.
The Finish and Standings
- 1. Niels Vandeputte (Bel) Alpecin-Premier Tech — 1:01:24
- 2. Joran Wyseure (Bel) Crelan-Corendon — s.t.
- 3. Felipe Orts (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi — +0:02
- 4. Yordi Corsus (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Altez — +0:05
- 5. Joris Nieuwenhuis (Ned) Heizomat-Cube — +0:05
The result reshuffled the Superprestige overall. Wyseure’s 14-point haul lifted him to 52 points and the series lead after four rounds. Kevin Kuhn (Heizomat-Cube) and Orts are tied for second on 44, with Vandeputte fourth, 11 points back. Mason’s off-day dropped the British champion to fifth, 12 points adrift, after he had led the standings coming in off his breakthrough solo win at Superprestige Niel.
In the women’s race, Lucinda Brand (Baloise-Trek) made it two from two, soloing to victory in Merksplas to back up her win in Niel and tighten her grip on the women’s Superprestige standings.
Why It Matters
This is shaping up to be one of the most open cyclo-cross campaigns in years. With Mathieu van der Poel skipping the cross season this winter, the usual hierarchy is gone and a deeper cast of riders is trading wins week to week. Wyseure is quietly building the most consistent campaign — four strong rides have him in the overall lead despite not grabbing the Merksplas victory — while Mason’s title bid has stumbled at exactly the wrong moment.
For Vandeputte, the win matters beyond the points. Better known as a road racer for Alpecin, he has shown that his sprint and sand-craft can beat the specialists on the right day, and the timing is ideal with the European Cyclo-cross Championships on the horizon. Vanthourenhout’s crash, meanwhile, is a reminder of how quickly a title campaign can unravel in a sport where one teammate’s error can take out a leader.
What This Means for You
Even if you’ll never line up at a Superprestige, Merksplas offered a clinic in the skills that decide amateur cross races too:
- Position before the obstacle, not in it. The whole race was shaped by who entered the sand section near the front. Fight for position before the technical feature so you’re not stuck behind a rider who dabs.
- Don’t lead out the sprint. Wyseure did the work and still lost on the line. If you can, sit on a wheel into the final straight and come around — the second rider has the advantage.
- Carry momentum through sand. A fast, clean run through soft ground beats brute force. Stay light on the bars, keep pedalling, and pick your line early.
- Gear choice counts. Tyre and setup decisions are magnified off-road — our look at road-to-gravel crossover tech covers the kit that bridges tarmac and the dirt.
Key Takeaways
- Niels Vandeputte outsprinted Joran Wyseure to win Superprestige Merksplas (round four), with Felipe Orts third.
- Michael Vanthourenhout crashed out after a teammate clipped a pole; Cameron Mason was delayed and finished 15th.
- Wyseure now leads the Superprestige overall on 52 points; Mason dropped to fifth.
- Lucinda Brand won the women’s race, her second straight after Niel.
- The season is wide open with Mathieu van der Poel sitting out cyclo-cross this winter.
Source: Cyclingnews race report by Lyne Lamoureux, Superprestige Merksplas (Aardbeiencross), 14 November 2026.
