Happy 2026 PEZ Fans – ! Welcome to your cycling (and mostly cyclocross) news roundup, in which we relate the rather sad story of Wout van Aert’s comeback, foiled by two flat tires as he seemed to be holding his own against Mathieu van der Poel. Then it’s more cyclocross, with youngsters Del Grosso, Nys and Pieterse battling at Digem, Lucinda Brand continuing her dominant streak, and Laurens Sweeck crashing out of the season. But don’t worry…the road season isn’t too far around the bend!
TOP STORY:
- The MVDP Express Speeds On as Wout Double-Flats at Loenhout
RACE NEWS
- When the Cat’s Away…Del Grosso, Pieterse Win at Diegem
- Brand Wins Yet Again at Louenhout
RIDER AND TEAM NEWS
- Archie Ryan Extends Contract with EF Education-Easy Post
- Ekoi: Cyclocross’ New — but Temporary — Team
- Visma | Lease a Bike Unveils New “Skin”
- “Sandman” Sweeck Out for Remainder of Season After Crash at Loenhout
The MVDP Express Speeds On as Wout Double-Flats at Loenhout
Finally we were getting the matchup we’d longed for — until we weren’t.
On a fast course at Loenhout — where Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert had, between them, won the last eight World Cup races — van Aert seized the lead on the second lap, seemingly determined to muster a stronger performance than in his first three showings this season, and finally to give van der Poel a run for his Lambo-level money.
Soon, however, we saw van Aert’s head dipping, possibly in exhaustion or frustration — but no; he was checking a deflating rear tire.
As Wout rode most of a lap to the pit, where he mounted a new bike just in time to latch on to the trailing pack of pure ‘crossers, van der Poel built a typically insurmountable lead — a lead that became especially insurmountable after van Aert, who had moved into the lead of the chasers, noticed another puncture — evidently courtesy of the same rock.
Who’s this guy’s tire sponsor? Or…who’s his mechanic?
Likely van der Poel would have won this race regardless of the condition of van Aert’s tires; he’s looked dominant (that word again…) all season, while Wout has failed even to beat non-galactico rivals. Still, van Aert appeared confident and technically clean prior to the punctures, and we road fans thus missed out on a treat of a race between these year-round competitors.
Behind the world champion, Niels Vandeputte secured second place, completing an Alpecin-Deceuninck one-two finish. Joris Nieuwenhuis claimed third, while van Aert’s day ended in disappointment with a tenth-place finish.
The victory represents van der Poel’s 18th consecutive cyclocross win, cementing his status as the dominant force this season as he builds toward February’s World Championships in Liévin.
RACE NEWS
When the Cat’s Away…Del Grosso, Pieterse Win at Diegem
With Mathieu van der Poel and Lucinda brand skipping the event, Tibor Del Grosso secured his second consecutive Superprestige victory at the traditional evening race in Diegem on Tuesday, while Puck Pieterse claimed her first win of the cyclocross season.
Racing under floodlights at one of the winter season’s most distinctive venues, the men’s race delivered high drama. Del Grosso and Thibau Nys initially controlled the race, though as the two traded leads, Joran Wyseure rallied to create a three-way battle for victory. At one point it appeared that Nys would ride away, as both Del Grosso and Wyseure stumbled on a steep ramp. Soon afterwards, though, Nys crashed heavily in the course’s sandy stretch and took Wyseure down with him, allowing Del Grosso to escape. Though Nys mounted a brief challenge on the Regimentsberg climb, he couldn’t sustain the effort. Del Grosso held firm to win ahead of Wyseure by two seconds, with Nys, who appeared utterly deflated, taking third at 20 seconds.
In the women’s race, Pieterse dominated from start to finish despite a late scare. The Dutch champion and Marie Schreiber rode clear early, with the sand section creating crucial separation. Pieterse’s superior sand riding gave her a consistent advantage, though a puncture approaching the final laps briefly allowed Schreiber to close the gap. Once back on her bike, Pieterse quickly reestablished control and crossed the line 11 seconds ahead of Schreiber, with teammate Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado completing the podium at 47 seconds.
Both races unfolded without stars van der Poel, Brand, and Wout van Aert, opening the competition and delivering thrilling racing to the large crowds who attended the iconic nighttime event.
Brand Wins Yet Again at Louenhout
Dutch rider Lucinda Brand continued her remarkable dominance in women’s cyclocross by claiming victory at the X2O Trofee event in Loenhout, Belgium on Monday. The win marked Brand’s 12th consecutive victory and 16th of the season, further cementing her position atop the sport.
Unlike many of her recent commanding solo performances, Brand faced a tactical battle with a small group of rivals on Loenhout’s greasy circuit. After a poor start, the Baloise Glowi Lions rider patiently worked her way to the front, taking the lead for the first time after two laps. The race remained competitive throughout, with Czech champion Kristyna Zemanová proving to be Brand’s most persistent challenger.
Brand adapted her setup as conditions worsened, switching to a coarser tire profile to generate more power. Her decisive move came in the final lap, where she accelerated clear to win by five seconds over Zemanová, with Manon Bakker finishing third.
The victory extended Brand’s lead in the X2O Badkamers Trofee standings to over nine minutes, putting her within reach of clinching the overall title at the next event in Baal.
TEAM AND RIDER NEWS
Archie Ryan Extends Contract with EF Education-Easy Post
EF Education-EasyPost has announced that Archie Ryan has agreed to extend his contract with the team.
Ryan joined EF Education-EasyPost in 2024, and after two years, the 23 year-old has inked a new deal that will see him race in pink for the coming seasons.
“EF Education-EasyPost believed in me right from the very start. When I came to the team, I’d had a long period of injury, and the team gave me the opportunity to turn things around and grow. Ever since then, I’ve felt right at home,” Archie said after signing his contract extension.
Since joining the team, Ryan has achieved several notable top-ten finishes and made his grand tour debut at the Vuelta a España. For Ryan, the decision to extend his contract with the team came down to two key factors: the environment within the team and where he felt his development would be best supported.
“I think that it’s a happy accident that some of my best friends before I joined the team are here. It works really well. In my first year with the team, it felt like I had one of my best mates with me at every race I went to, and as I got to know everyone else, that feeling hasn’t changed. They’re a great group of people, and when I look at other teams, I just know that I fit with this team the best,” he said.
EKOÏ: Cyclocross’ New — but Temporary — Team
Team EKOÏ is cyclocross’ newest team, constructed — temporarily — around Dutch rider Ryan Kamp, as well as Lauren Molengraaf and Hélène Clauzel.
EKOÏ’s press release describes the three riders has each having “a career path that has not always followed the obvious route.”
The team has been deemed a “bridging project,” a temporary structure that allows the three riders to race competitively through the 2025-2026 season. The project’s chief sponsors are EKOÏ and Colnago, which will provide equipment, as well as visibility.
Visma | Lease a Bike Unveils New “Skin”
Team Visma | Lease a Bike has unveiled its new kit for the 2026 season. Under the tagline New Season, New Skin, the release marks the start of a new cycling year. The kit has been designed with a focus on performance and comfort for the riders, while ensuring visibility for fans along the road and on screen.
The kit was developed in collaboration with Nimbl, further expanding an existing partnership. While Nimbl was already responsible for the team’s cycling shoes, the brand now also provides high-performance on-bike apparel.
Richard Plugge, General Manager of Team Visma | Lease a Bike, is enthusiastic about the new kit: “A new season always means evaluating, improving, and building further. Our 2026 kit reflects that approach: recognizable in who we are, yet with attention to detail and development. Together with our partners, we continue to explore ways to support our riders in achieving their best performance.”
“Sandman” Sweeck Out for Remainder of Season After Crash at Loenhout
Laurens Sweeck’s presence was notably missed when Thibau Nys was struggling in the sand at Diegem: The “Sandman’s” cyclocross season had ended abruptly after a devastating crash at the X2O Trofee race in Loenhout on Monday. The Belgian rider, who was leading the World Cup standings with 186 points, suffered a severe acromioclavicular luxation requiring immediate surgery.
The timing couldn’t be worse for Sweeck. He crashed while not in contention during a race where he had no particular ambitions, yet the consequences proved catastrophic. Medical examinations revealed the shoulder dislocation was severe enough to end his season, forcing him to withdraw from all remaining World Cup events.
This development dramatically shifts the championship picture. Mathieu van der Poel sits fourth with 160 points and is scheduled to race all four remaining events. With Sweeck sidelined and second-place Thibau Nys having already skipped two races, van der Poel now appears nearly unstoppable in his pursuit of the World Cup title.
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