Laurens Sweeck on top of the world after winning epic Superprestige Diegem Cross: "It was sprinting from the beams"

In the absence of cyclocross superstars Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert, Laurens Sweeck seized the opportunity to shine, claiming victory at the final cyclocross race of 2024, the Superprestige Diegem Cross. Sweeck outpaced Vandeputte, who took second place, while Thibau Nys rounded out the podium in third.

Speaking after his hard-fought win, Sweeck reflected on the decisive final lap, "You just had to be in the lead," the winner begins his story. "We both knew that, but we were both dead. It was sprinting from the beams. The audience was really huge on the last lap. That just makes you cycle faster."

The victory did not come easily, as Sweeck had to dig deep to outmanoeuvre Nys in the closing stages. Despite the effort, he kept his composure under pressure, "It's just a matter of bluffing and continuing to bluff. Pretending that you have something left and hoping that he will eventually fold." "I knew that I shouldn't hesitate from the last bridge. I just had to ride as fast as possible. Then it's hard to pass anyone," said Sweeck. The win marked his fourth triumph of the season, and he’ll be hoping to add more to this list in 2025.

Reflecting on the significance of this win, Sweeck explained, "Every victory is important. Yesterday I had a really bad day. I really suffered in the cold. Today was a big difference. I am happy with this victory."