Results Superprestige Ruddervorde 2025 Men | Michael Vanthourenhout denies Joris Nieuwenhuis in thrilling finale

Michael Vanthourenhout has claimed a thrilling victory this Sunday afternoon at Superprestige Ruddervoorde, taking his first ever win at the venue after outlasting Joris Nieuwenhuis in a dramatic sprint to the line.

The men’s Superprestige opener had been chaotic from the start, with heavy conditions, light rain and shifting alliances shaping a tense race. Nieuwenhuis was the main aggressor through the middle laps, opening an early lead by gliding smoothly through the sand while others fought to stay upright. His technique looked effortless, but the Dutchman’s advantage began to shrink as fatigue set in and the chasers combined behind him.

Vanthourenhout took control of the pursuit, dragging back seconds each lap as Wyseure, Vandeputte and Toon Aerts hovered in contention. The gap finally closed with three laps to go, setting up a tense regrouping as the rain eased but the mud deepened.

Behind them, Laurens Sweeck and Kevin Kuhn both made strong late comebacks, helping to reform a front group of nine riders before the decisive laps. Sweeck’s injection of pace briefly fractured the bunch, but it was Kuhn who sparked the next selection, attacking through the sand and forcing the others into single file.

By the bell, four riders remained in contention — Nieuwenhuis, Kuhn, Aerts and Vanthourenhout — with Vandeputte just off the back, praying for hesitation ahead.

On the final lap, Nieuwenhuis hit the sand first with Vanthourenhout close behind. The Belgian champion used the running section to his advantage, finding one last burst of power to remount in front. Aerts slipped slightly through the corners, losing contact, while Kuhn began to fade.

As the finish approached, Vanthourenhout refused to let anyone take his wheel. Nieuwenhuis clawed back metre by metre, but the Belgian held firm, launching his sprint perfectly out of the final turn to win by less than a bike length.

Aerts’ hopes ended when he crashed in the last corner, while Kuhn rolled in fourth ahead of the fading chasers. For Vanthourenhout, it was a statement victory to open his Superprestige campaign — his first ever triumph in Ruddervoorde, and one earned through sheer persistence and grit.