"I really had feelings of revenge" - Niels Vandeputte finally sees top form rewarded after weeks of close calls
Cyclocross
Niels Vandeputte has been one of the most in form riders in the cyclocross world over recent weeks without much reward. Finally though, on Sunday afternoon at Flandriencross Hamme, the Alpecin-Deceuninck star managed to get himself a big victory.
After an enthralling battle, Vandeputte timed his move to perfection, coming to the front on the last lap and holding off the challenges of the likes of Eli Iserbyt, Felipe Orts, Thibau Nys and others to secure his first victory in around a month and a half, since Vandeputte triumphed on his season opener at the Brumath Bike Festival.
“This feels really good," admits a beaming 24-year-old Belgian in his post-race interview afterwards. "After yesterday's cross I really had feelings of revenge. Today I wanted to show how good my form is. To end it like this, that really feels good.”
"I'm growing year by year," Vandeputte adds. "After a very good summer, I started this cyclocross season with a lot of confidence. Now I'm also showing that I've become stronger and have taken a new step. That's rewarded with a victory. I definitely want to continue that line."
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| 01 | Vandeputte Niels | - | 01:00:49 |
| 02 | Iserbyt Eli | - | + 02 |
| 03 | Orts Lloret Felipe | - | + 08 |
| 04 | Vanthourenhout Michael | - | + 11 |
| 05 | van der Haar Lars | - | + 25 |
| 06 | Aerts Toon | - | + 47 |
| 07 | Mason Cameron | - | + 56 |
| 08 | Wyseure Joran | - | + 01:08 |
| 09 | Ronhaar Pim | - | + 01:21 |
| 10 | Michels Jente | - | + 01:23 |
| 11 | Vandebosch Toon | - | + 01:27 |
| 12 | Van de Putte Victor | - | + 01:45 |
| 13 | Kuypers Gerben | - | + 01:55 |
| 14 | Nys Thibau | - | + 01:59 |
| 15 | Ferdinande Anton | - | + 02:00 |
| 16 | Sweeck Laurens | - | + 02:16 |
| 17 | Adams Jens | - | + 02:30 |
| 18 | Meeusen Tom | - | + 02:34 |
| 19 | Kuhn Kevin | - | + 03:01 |
| 20 | Soete Daan | - | + 03:04 |
Superbe manche du @X2OTrofee à Hamme qui se termine par la victoire de Niels Vandeputte. 👏 #RTLsports pic.twitter.com/T0Lt3CMqG6
— RTL sports (@RTLsportsbe) November 17, 2024
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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