Mathieu van der Poel wins Superprestige Diegem for a seventh time, Puck Pieterse victorious in women’s race

Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) won the Superprestige Diegem for the seventh time in his decorated career.

It is the first time Van der Poel has won the race since claiming victory for a sixth year in a row in 2019. Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) was third.

After a tight beginning to the night race, Van der Poel and Pidcock seized the early initiative on the third lap, but it was the Dutchman who would quickly separate himself from the pack.

Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal), his team-mate and series leader Eli Iserbyt, as well as Tom Pidcock, all tried to make a move on Van der Poel, but he was already eight seconds ahead by the start of the fifth lap.

Van der Poel continued to build his lead and finished as the clear winner. Pidcock finished in second four seconds ahead of Iserbyt after both battled it out for the runner-up spot to the finish line.

“It was a super nice race. It was a good night,” Van der Poel told Eurosport after picking up his 154th professional career win.

“I just tried to win as much as possible when I start [a race]. For sure, I have a good record here in Diegem. I felt good today, so I’m happy with the result.”

Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck) produced a dominant victory in the Superprestige series in Diegem, Belgium.

Pieterse was able to pull away on the opening lap and built up a convincing lead of more than 26 seconds to seal victory in a time of 47:06.

Pieterse’s compatriot Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Alpecin-Deceuninck) finished in second place 27 seconds behind, but her performance saw her move into the overall lead ahead of the final round in Noordzeecross.

Great Britain’s Zoe Backstedt was the quickest off the start line and led the field into the first section, but was passed by Inge Van der Heijden (Crelan-Corendon) and Pieterse.

Backstedt lost ground and formed a chase group as Pieterse quickly took over from Van der Heijden on the opening lap.

Pieterse extended her lead out to 17 seconds over Van der Heijden by the start of the third.

Alvarado closed in on Van der Heijden while Backstedt, Blanka Vas (SD Worx) and Marie Schreiber (SD Worx) formed a chasing pack further back.

Pieterse had built up a 21-second lead by the fourth lap as Alvarado moved six seconds clear of Van der Heijden.

Pieterse then went on to storm to victory to make it consecutive Superprestige wins in Diegem, but it is Alvarado who is the series leader.

“It went really well, and so I’m happy about that,” Pieterse told Eurosport after the race.

“I knew that if I would have a good start every second would count. It’s hard to close a gap here.

“So it started full gas and kept going. The atmosphere is always great here, I couldn’t hear anything for the whole race because the crowd was yelling so loud.”

Van der Heijden finished the race in third a further 34 seconds back.