le return de Wout van Aert

Wout van Aert wins a few kilometers from Lille (photo JMD/Sports 5962)

The Belgian Wout van Aert (Visma/Lease a Bike) and the Dutch Lucinda Brand (Baloise Glowi Lions) won the Gullegem 2025 cyclo-cross, which counted for the SuperPrestige Challenge. The former World Champion took advantage of the absence of Mathieu van der Poel to return to victory in this discipline which had revealed him. This victory could encourage him to come to Liévin in a month.

After a somewhat brief field the day before in Koksijde, Gullegem, located a stone’s throw from Halluin, offered a high-level cyclo-cross with the main attraction being the presence of Wout van Aert. The former world champion has limited his races on the international calendar to 6 this season. Before a possible participation in the World Championships in Liévin, to be confirmed.

For his 2nd race of the winter, Van Aert was exactly on target. During the first in Loenhout, the Belgian champion finished 4th, far from his great rival Mathieu van der Poel. This time, in the Dutchman’s absence, Van Aert got the job done. Without crushing the race. But by methodically and seriously dominating the best world specialists engaged in this new round of the Superprestige Challenge.

The four Flemish musketeers

In the absence of the ogre VDP, the spectators present in large numbers witnessed a real fight, full of suspense. Van Aert quickly found himself in the lead, with three pure crossmen: Eli Yserbit, Michaël Vantourenhout et Yoran Wysere. That is to say two former European champions and a former hopeful World champion. The 100% Flemish quartet will remain grouped for a long time around Van Aert who manages his race. But with two rounds remaining, the Herenthals champion made a decisive attack which left Yserbit, his last opponent, on the spot.

This one, courageously, will come back anyway. But he will be unable to do anything in the final straight where Van Aert materializes his superiority. To the great joy of an audience totally committed to his cause. This return to the summit therefore took place a few kilometers from the border with the North, on a muddy and demanding circuit, on which Van Aert showed his power.

« In the first three laps, I felt like I still had more under the pedal, declared the Antwerp resident after his victory. But in the end, I had to draw on my last resources to finish. I didn’t think I could just beat these guys. On a course with so many turns, it’s hard to get rid of Iserbyt ».

He won the Gullegem 2025 cyclo-cross in front of his compatriots Iserbyt, Vanthourenhout, Wysere and Vandeputte in a real championship of Flanders, the country of cyclo-cross. The French champion Clement Venturiniwho is preparing for the World Cup in Liévin, was in the top 10 at the start, before giving in in the final laps to finish 18th, more than 3 minutes behind the winner. But Venturini is still in the recovery phase, which is not forgiving in an event of this level.

Women too

The Elite women also put on a show. The Dutchwoman wins at the finish in front the Englishwoman Zoe Backstedtand her Dutch compatriot Ceylin Alvaradoafter a great three-way fight. The Franco-Belgian Marion Norbert-Riberolle takes an encouraging 5th place, ahead of the Belgian champion Sané Cant (7 o’clock).
Two regional runners took part in this Superprestige in Gullegem. The Soissonnaise Adèle Hurteloup ranks 18th, after a nice mano a mano with the Pévéloise Camille Devigne19th. The two young girls from Hauts-de-France precede another French girl, Léa Courtaboeuf20th. A very honorable top 20 for Adèle and Camille, who regularly attend cyclo-cross events in Belgium, just a stone’s throw from their home.

Camille Devigne and Adèle Hurteloup engaged in a nice regional duel (photo JMD/Sports 5962)

« I’m happy because I had my best start of the seasonconfided the young Picardy to us upon arrival. I fought with Camille for 3 rounds. In the end, I overtook her in the technical part, because she was stronger on the road and in the running. I made the gap there and was able to gain a place at the finish. »

Incidentally, we can regret that the best tricolors do not do the same, as the World Championships in Liévin approach.

In any case, the return to the forefront of Wout van Aertthis is the first good news at the start of the year.