Vandeputte finishes third in Superprestige 2026

Niels Vandeputte, a Belgian cyclist from the Alpecin-Premier Tech team, finished third in the first round of the Superprestige 2026 in Overijse. Despite calling his performance average, he expressed satisfaction with his result during an interview with Cyclism'Actu.

Vandeputte felt comfortable on challenging course

Vandeputte mentioned that he felt relatively comfortable on the difficult course, even though he did not have the best physical condition during the race. He managed his energy carefully to secure his third-place finish.

Superprestige calendar debate

Vandeputte addressed the ongoing debate about the Superprestige's busy schedule. He argued that the issue is not the number of races but how close they are to each other, suggesting that participating in a cross in September could still be a good idea.

Vandeputte is team leader for cyclo-cross season

Vandeputte stated that he is considered the leader of his team this season, especially during the cyclo-cross season. He praised the strength of his team, highlighting the progress of teammate Jenthe Michels this year.

Uncertainty about other riders' return dates

Vandeputte mentioned that Tibor Del Grosso is expected to become the team leader by the end of the year, but he remains uncertain about when Mathieu Van der Poel will return. The Belgian cyclist is hopeful that Michels will regularly compete alongside him in the future.