Results Meulebeke 2026 - Fem van Empel returns after year-long absence as Vanthourenhout wins final-lap thriller
Cyclocross
Fem van Empel marked her return after almost a year away with fourth place at the Berencross in Meulebeke, outsprinting Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado. Marie Schreiber has won the women’s race, while Michael Vanthourenhout has claimed the men’s victory after a final-lap battle with Jente Michels.
Van Empel returns as Schreiber holds off Van Alphen
Van Empel surged from 24th on the grid into the top ten on an opening lap made treacherous by a pre-race downpour. A brief stoppage interrupted her progress, but the three-time world champion recovered to contest fourth with Alvarado, who had suffered an early mechanical.
Ahead, Schreiber and Aniek van Alphen took control after the early leaders encountered trouble. Lucinda Brand crashed among the trees, while Denise Betsema twice struggled on a steep bank before bike problems cost her further ground.
Schreiber dropped Van Alphen on the penultimate lap, taking a three-second advantage into the final circuit and holding off the Dutchwoman to win.
Brand fought back from eighth with two laps remaining, passing Van Empel and closing on Van Alphen before finishing third. Van Empel then secured fourth in the sprint against Alvarado on her first competitive appearance for Specialized TMRW.
Results Meulebeke 2026 Women's
| Position | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | SCHREIBER Marie | 46:32 | |
| 2 | VAN ALPHEN Aniek | 777TV CX Team | 0:15 |
| 3 | BRAND Lucinda | Baloise Verzekeringen - Het Poetsbureau Lions | 0:30 |
| 4 | VAN EMPEL Fem | Specialized TMRW | 0:35 |
| 5 | ALVARADO Ceylin Del Carmen | Fenix - Premier Tech | 0:36 |
| 6 | VAN DER HEIJDEN Inge | Crelan - Corendon | 1:12 |
| 7 | BENTVELD Leonie | Pauwels Sauzen - Altez Industriebouw | 1:18 |
| 8 | WORST Annemarie | Baloise Verzekeringen - Het Poetsbureau Lions | 1:21 |
| 9 | BETSEMA Denise | De Ceuster Bouwkranen | 1:24 |
| 10 | BROUWERS Julie | Charles Liégeois CX Team | 1:31 |
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Vanthourenhout shakes off Michels in final-lap duel
Vanthourenhout needed repeated accelerations to overcome Michels and secure his second HG Cross victory in successive weekends, following his win at Dendermonde.
Cameron Mason had forced the early selection, escaping with Michels while Vanthourenhout and Gerben Kuypers recovered from slow starts. Kuypers’ pursuit was interrupted by a puncture, but Vanthourenhout bridged across with defending winner Joran Wyseure on lap five.
Their pressure briefly distanced Mason and Michels without breaking the race apart. Niels Vandeputte, Witse Meeussen and 18-year-old Giel Lejeune subsequently joined the leaders before another Vanthourenhout attack drew out Wyseure and Michels.
Further regrouping followed as heavy rain returned. Wyseure then suffered a mechanical that removed him from contention, while Kuypers recovered ground after his earlier puncture.
Vanthourenhout attacked again on the final lap, with Michels using a strong passage through the sand to regain his wheel. Michels answered another acceleration, but Vanthourenhout found enough to force the winning separation in the closing stages, raising his fist as he crossed the line for his fourth Berencross victory.
Results Meulebeke 2026 Men's
| Position | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | VANTHOURENHOUT Michael | Pauwels Sauzen - Altez Industriebouw | 1:02:28 |
| 2 | MICHELS Jente | Alpecin - Premier Tech | 0:01 |
| 3 | VANDEPUTTE Niels | Alpecin - Premier Tech | '' |
| 4 | MEEUSSEN Witse | Crelan - Corendon | '' |
| 5 | KUYPERS Gerben | Pauwels Sauzen - Altez Industriebouw | 0:07 |
| 6 | MASON Cameron | 777TV CX Team | 0:10 |
| 7 | KAMP Ryan | Team Bomba JOIN | 0:15 |
| 8 | LEJEUNE Giel | Alpecin - Premier Tech | 0:21 |
| 9 | ORTS LLORET Felipe | 0:38 | |
| 10 | VAN DE PUTTE Victor | Charles Liégeois CX Team | 1:06 |
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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