Nachtcross
Diegem · Sunday 20 September 2026 · · week 3 of Summer 2026 · First division elite men
wet course · 8 laps · technique and mud — settled — this is what it will be, 20°, 11 mm in drie dagen · 2.870 spectators lined the course
The podium
| 1 goud | Senne Dhaene — | 58:10 — | 0 pts € 900 |
| 2 zilver | Julien Lefevre — | 59:06 +55.8s | 0 pts € 600 |
| 3 brons | Jasper Struyf — | 59:32 +1:23 | 0 pts € 450 |
The course
- the sequence of corners
- the long straight
- the mud strip
- the steps
- the little bridge
- the wide section
- the off-camber
The rest of the result
| Rider | Team | Time | Gap | Prize | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Rune Roelants guest rider | — | 59:33 | +1:23 | € 320 | |
| 5 | Rien Smets guest rider | — | 59:36 | +1:26 | € 320 | |
| 6 | Niels Willems | The Muddy Spuds | 59:37 | +1:27 | € 320 | 16 |
| 7 | Iván Ferrer guest rider | — | 59:43 | +1:33 | € 220 | |
| 8 | Rémi Renaud guest rider | — | 59:46 | +1:36 | € 220 | |
| 9 | Vince Wauters | Team MCL | 59:46 | +1:36 | € 220 | 13 |
| 10 | Arne Maes | Rascals | 59:48 | +1:38 | € 220 | 12 |
| 11 | Robbe Geens | Uk Team Lote ABC | 59:57 | +1:47 | € 150 | 11 |
| 12 | Ruben Vanacker | Bikefitting Surplace | 59:59 | +1:49 | € 150 | 10 |
| 13 | Warre Brouwers | BAT Performance | 1:00:02 | +1:52 | € 150 | 9 |
| 14 | Antoine Moreau | 07raul07 | 1:00:13 | +2:03 | € 150 | 8 |
| 15 | Quentin Lefevre | — | 1:00:15 | +2:05 | € 150 | 7 |
| 16 | Dries Verstraete | Stuwie CX | 1:00:16 | +2:06 | € 150 | 6 |
| 17 | Matěj Král guest rider | — | 1:00:19 | +2:09 | € 150 | |
| 18 | Mathijs Vanhoutte | Nukeproof Bombers Cycling Team | 1:00:19 | +2:09 | € 150 | 4 |
| 19 | Dries Michiels guest rider | — | 1:00:21 | +2:11 | € 150 | |
| 20 | Tibo Rombouts | Team Tim | 1:00:23 | +2:13 | € 150 | 2 |
| 21 | Wannes Naessens | Hela Sauzen Pub Brawl | 1:00:24 | +2:14 | € 90 | |
| 22 | Lennert Vermote | De kloefkappers | 1:00:25 | +2:15 | € 90 | |
| 23 | Vojtěch Dvořák | Rasio Racing | 1:00:30 | +2:20 | € 90 | |
| 24 | Wout Decock | Edwin1507 | 1:00:30 | +2:20 | € 90 | |
| 25 | Arne Cuypers | Good Question | 1:00:31 | +2:21 | € 90 | |
| 26 | Sander Vermeulen | — | 1:00:35 | +2:25 | € 90 | |
| 27 | Vic Peeters guest rider | — | 1:00:49 | +2:39 | € 90 | |
| 28 | Michal Svoboda guest rider | — | 1:00:49 | +2:39 | € 90 | |
| 29 | Florian Chevalier guest rider | — | 1:00:56 | +2:46 | € 90 | |
| 30 | Kobe Roelants guest rider | — | 1:01:18 | +3:09 | € 90 |
Race report
1:01:18 Kobe Roelants brings up the rear at 3 minutes. Everybody finished.
1:00:56 Florian Chevalier crosses the line 29th, at 2:46.
1:00:49 Michal Svoboda crosses the line 28th, at 2:39.
59:32 Jasper Struyf crosses the line 3rd, at 1:23.
59:06 Julien Lefevre crosses the line 2nd, at 0:56.
58:10 Senne Dhaene wins by 56 seconds.
57:20 There are holes in the line through the mud strip that nobody is riding out any more.
56:55 Florian Chevalier goes down in the steep side and loses 12 seconds.
56:40 There is 50 seconds on the clock behind the leaders.
56:10 The line through the long straight has closed up completely; it is going to be a run.
55:40 The field is one mud bath; everybody is riding on feel.
55:00 Ruben Vanacker has to let Iván Ferrer go in the finishing straight.
54:30 They are riding on a third of their tyres; the rest is packed with earth.
54:10 Warre Brouwers is too quick for Dries Verstraete in the sequence of corners and lies 13th now.
52:50 Robbe Geens had been sitting on the wheel a while and goes past Dries Verstraete in the finishing straight.
52:30 Rune Roelants dives past Rémi Renaud in the start straight.
52:10 Wout Decock takes Sander Vermeulen back in the off-camber.
51:40 There is a line through the mud strip that gets narrower lap after lap.
51:20 Senne Dhaene is out on their own at the front.
49:00 All five are hunting a different line through the start straight; none of them is finding the good one.
48:10 The finishing straight is costing a few seconds more every lap.
48:05 Arne Maes slides out in the mud strip and loses 8 seconds.
47:40 The line through the off-camber has opened right up.
47:00 Robbe Geens goes past Arne Cuypers in the sequence of corners.
46:40 Ride the hairpin instead of running it and you take half a second out of the rest every lap.
46:20 Mathijs Vanhoutte had been sitting on the wheel a while and goes past Arne Cuypers in the off-camber.
45:50 On a day like this it is not the strongest who wins, it is whoever runs least.
45:30 In the wet meadow Tibo Rombouts gains a place on Vojtěch Dvořák.
45:20 The slippery descent is tearing itself apart; next lap it will be brutal in there.
45:10 Senne Dhaene has opened a gap and is alone up there.
45:00 There is 18 seconds on the clock behind the leaders.
44:50 The water is standing in the wide section; dive in too fast and you are down.
44:30 Come off the line in the mud strip and you are ankle deep in it.
44:20 The brakes are dragging with mud; everyone is stopping too early in the little bridge.
44:10 Dries Michiels takes the other line through the wide section and comes out ahead of Wannes Naessens.
43:40 The mud strip is getting deeper with every lap.
43:20 There are holes in the line through the wet meadow that nobody is riding out any more.
42:20 Rien Smets moves up to 3rd at Niels Willems's expense.
40:50 Tibo Rombouts has to let Dries Verstraete go in the start straight.
40:30 Rien Smets dives past Jasper Struyf in the steep side.
39:30 Half the field is running the little bridge by now.
39:20 Iván Ferrer takes Wannes Naessens back in the wet meadow.
39:10 Every lap is slower than the last, and today that is no disgrace.
38:40 There is a line through the slippery descent that gets narrower lap after lap.
38:30 They are riding on a third of their tyres; the rest is packed with earth.
38:20 Ride the little bridge instead of running it and you take half a second out of the rest every lap.
38:10 The entrance to the hairpin is littered with abandoned bikes.
38:00 Robbe Geens had been sitting on the wheel a while and goes past Wout Decock in the long straight.
36:50 The line through the hairpin has opened right up.
36:40 The pits are working flat out.
36:20 Senne Dhaene goes past Julien Lefevre and takes the lead.
35:50 Wannes Naessens goes past Rémi Renaud in the long straight.
34:50 Quentin Lefevre has to let Dries Michiels go in the wide section.
34:40 The line through the hairpin is shifting; they are riding a metre off where they were a moment ago.
34:20 The line through the long straight has closed up completely; it is going to be a run.
34:00 There is 5 seconds on the clock behind the leaders.
33:50 Wannes Naessens takes the other line through the little bridge and comes out ahead of Arne Cuypers.
33:40 The rain of the last few days is still sitting in the hurdles.
33:00 There are holes in the line through the little climb at the back that nobody is riding out any more.
32:30 The leader's jersey stopped being recognisable a long time ago.
32:20 The brakes are dragging with mud; everyone is stopping too early in the off-camber.
31:50 The little bridge is drying out on the side the sun is on.
31:40 In the wide section Rune Roelants gains a place on Quentin Lefevre.
31:20 With 3 up front, and Julien Lefevre on the front of it.
31:10 The mechanics are standing ready with the pressure washer; a clean bike every lap.
30:40 Wannes Naessens is too quick for Quentin Lefevre in the mud strip and lies 17th now.
29:40 Wannes Naessens is too quick for Dries Michiels in the off-camber and lies 20th now.
29:20 A front group of 3, and they are watching each other.
29:10 Jasper Struyf takes Arne Maes back in the finishing straight.
28:50 Sander Vermeulen dives past Warre Brouwers in the hairpin.
28:30 Julien Lefevre goes past Niels Willems and takes the lead.
26:40 Bikes are changing every lap — the mud strip eats equipment.
26:00 Every lap is slower than the last, and today that is no disgrace.
25:40 The field is one mud bath; everybody is riding on feel.
25:30 The water is standing in the off-camber; dive in too fast and you are down.
25:20 Jasper Struyf has to let Julien Lefevre go in the sequence of corners.
25:10 Julien Lefevre had been sitting on the wheel a while and goes past Arne Maes in the hairpin.
24:50 They are nearly all taking the same side through the sequence of corners now; the other line is finished.
24:40 There is not a dry thread left on anybody.
24:30 Lennert Vermote has to let Sander Vermeulen go in the finishing straight.
23:30 The pits are working flat out.
23:00 Mathijs Vanhoutte takes the other line through the little bridge and comes out ahead of Tibo Rombouts.
22:50 The brakes are dragging with mud; everyone is stopping too early in the start straight.
22:20 Dries Michiels goes past Michal Svoboda in the hurdles.
22:00 The line through the little bridge has closed up completely; it is going to be a run.
21:40 Ride the start straight instead of running it and you take half a second out of the rest every lap.
21:10 The gap to the first chaser is 8 seconds.
19:50 There is 8 seconds on the clock behind the leaders.
19:40 Bikes are changing every lap — the hurdles eats equipment.
19:20 Niels Willems has opened a gap and is alone up there.
18:20 Up front Senne Dhaene goes past Arne Maes — 2nd now.
18:00 Half the field is running the sequence of corners by now.
16:50 In the deep furrow Arne Cuypers gains a place on Wannes Naessens.
16:30 On a day like this it is not the strongest who wins, it is whoever runs least.
14:50 There is a line through the long straight that gets narrower lap after lap.
14:00 Dries Verstraete dives past Rune Roelants in the little bridge.
12:50 Come off the line in the slippery descent and you are ankle deep in it.
12:20 The field is one mud bath; everybody is riding on feel.
11:20 They are nearly all taking the same side through the steep side now; the other line is finished.
11:10 Rémi Renaud is too quick for Julien Lefevre in the wet meadow and lies 10th now.
11:00 Robbe Geens has to let Rémi Renaud go in the hurdles.
9:00 Rien Smets takes Warre Brouwers back in the sequence of corners.
8:50 Mathijs Vanhoutte had been sitting on the wheel a while and goes past Warre Brouwers in the hairpin.
8:40 All five are hunting a different line through the wet meadow; none of them is finding the good one.
8:30 Niels Willems goes past Jasper Struyf in the hollow.
8:25 Niels Willems goes past Jasper Struyf and takes the lead.
7:40 Mathijs Vanhoutte takes the other line through the sequence of corners and comes out ahead of Robbe Geens.
7:20 The entrance to the finishing straight is littered with abandoned bikes.
6:50 The line through the sequence of corners has opened right up.
6:10 The wet meadow is tearing itself apart; next lap it will be brutal in there.
6:00 The gap to the first chaser is 7 seconds.
5:20 The rain of the last few days is still sitting in the little bridge.
4:30 The brakes are dragging with mud; everyone is stopping too early in the deep furrow.
4:20 The wide section is getting deeper with every lap.
4:10 The line through the off-camber is shifting; they are riding a metre off where they were a moment ago.
4:00 Bikes are changing every lap — the finishing straight eats equipment.
3:42 Rune Roelants slides out in the sequence of corners and loses 3 seconds.
3:40 There is 4 seconds on the clock behind the leaders.
3:30 The water is standing in the start straight; dive in too fast and you are down.
3:20 The pit is drying out on the side the sun is on.
2:30 Every lap is slower than the last, and today that is no disgrace.
0:05 Jasper Struyf goes past Senne Dhaene and takes the lead.
0:00 Nachtcross: wet course, 8 laps. Mostly technique and mud.