Results Superprestige Middelkerke | Amandine Fouquenet wins finale as Aniek van Alphen loses overall

Amandine Fouquenet signed off the Superprestige season with a commanding victory in Middelkerke, riding away from the field on the North Sea sand as the overall classification was decided behind her in dramatic fashion.

From the opening lap, Fouquenet made her intentions clear. The French rider attacked early and never relinquished control, repeatedly lifting the pace on the most demanding sections of the course to thin out the group and turn the finale into a test of endurance rather than positioning.

By the midpoint of the race, she had built an advantage approaching twenty seconds, forcing the chasers into damage limitation.

The main resistance came from Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado, who gradually rode herself into contention as the race developed. The Dutch champion moved into second place and began to eat into Fouquenet’s lead, reducing the gap to single figures and briefly raising the prospect of a late challenge.

Fouquenet, however, responded decisively. With two laps remaining, she raised the tempo once more, stretching the elastic again and reasserting control at the front. Alvarado continued to push deep into the final lap but a series of small mistakes on the washboard section halted her momentum, allowing Fouquenet to ride untroubled to the line for the day’s victory.

While the stage win was settled at the front, the Superprestige overall battle unravelled behind. Aniek van Alphen, who began the day leading the standings, endured a difficult race marked by fading legs and mounting pressure. After briefly stabilising her position mid-race, she slipped steadily down the order in the closing laps, at one point falling as low as tenth.

Team-mate Annemarie Worst attempted to limit the damage, pacing Van Alphen back toward the top ten, but the recovery came too late. Despite a late push in the final kilometre, Van Alphen was unable to regain the places required to defend her overall lead.

With Van Alphen finishing outside the required positions, Fouquenet’s victory was enough to secure the overall Superprestige title. As Fouquenet celebrated a statement win in the sand, the season-long Superprestige campaign came to a decisive close on the Belgian coast.