Michael Vanthourenhout wins HG Cross Dendermonde 2026 as Pauwels Sauzen take one-two

Michael Vanthourenhout won the elite men’s HG Cross Dendermonde on Sunday 11 October 2026, taking the opening race of the new series after a close contest that only separated on the final lap. The Pauwels Sauzen–Altez Industriebouw rider finished in 59:20, two seconds clear of teammate Yordi Corsus, while Joran Wyseure took third for Crelan-Corendon on the same gap.

Gerben Kuypers made it three riders from Pauwels Sauzen in the first four positions, also two seconds down. Niels Vandeputte followed at four seconds, a remarkably small spread at the end of an hour’s racing. The dry and fast conditions around Grembergen kept the leading contenders together far longer than is usually associated with Dendermonde’s winter World Cup races.

Dendermonde has a history of spectacularly muddy conditions, but the Borremans Mosselcross version of the event produced a very different opening to the 2026–27 cyclocross season. Technical execution and the ability to accelerate after the sand and short climbs became more important than grinding through deep mud.

How it unfolded

The opening laps developed into a sizeable contest at the front. Vanthourenhout had strong support from his Pauwels Sauzen teammates, but the presence of Wyseure, Vandeputte and several others ensured that there was no early escape. A group of possible winners remained within seconds of one another as the race approached its final circuits.

Pim Ronhaar lost ground with an early puncture and faced a long recovery through traffic. Ryan Kamp and Cameron Mason both remained competitive well into the race, while young Corsus stayed close to Vanthourenhout rather than being forced into a purely defensive role for his team. The small gaps are a useful measure of how little separated the leading riders on the day.

The key moment came on the final lap. Wyseure made errors at critical points and Vanthourenhout took advantage of the interruption to open a gap. The Belgian was strongest through the technical uphill section and had enough of an advantage to reach the finish alone, although only two seconds separated him from the chasing riders.

Corsus completed the team one-two, a valuable result for a younger rider facing experienced rivals at the first HG Cross event. Wyseure held third ahead of Kuypers, preventing a complete Pauwels Sauzen sweep of the podium. The result was nevertheless a strong demonstration of the depth available to the team.

Vanthourenhout’s advantage was small but decisive

The winning margin can make this look like a sprint decided at the last possible moment, but Vanthourenhout’s final-lap acceleration was different. He exploited a section where riding cleanly and retaining momentum mattered, rather than simply trying to beat the group in a drag race on the finishing straight. Wyseure’s errors amplified the separation, but the winner still had to make the technical move stick.

The balance of the Pauwels Sauzen team was an important part of the result. Corsus was close enough to threaten the win himself, while Kuypers remained near the front without opening a gap for Wyseure. The group forced their rivals to judge when to chase, when to attack and which rider to follow. Vanthourenhout had the experience to take the opportunity when it appeared.

Vandeputte’s fifth place at four seconds illustrates how tight the contest remained, and Meeussen was only twelve seconds back in sixth. Kamp crossed at fifteen seconds to take seventh on an encouraging day for the new Team Bomba JOIN project, with Mason eighth at eighteen seconds. Victor Van de Putte and Toon Vandebosch completed the top ten.

That closeness is notable ahead of Saturday’s HG Cross in Meulebeke. The Berencross at Ter Borcht is a different circuit, with sand, banks, steps and a changed layout for 2026. A rider finishing just outside the Dendermonde podium cannot be discounted on a more selective course, and several of the same contenders will have the chance to respond.

For Vanthourenhout, the result adds to his established record in the early-season Belgian races. His next test will be whether he can repeat this controlled, technical performance in Meulebeke, where he has won several times before. Corsus and Kuypers offer alternative winners from the same team if conditions favour a different style of effort.

The opening race also means the HG Cross series already has a clear benchmark. Although the event remains a standalone cyclocross victory in the rider’s record, it gives the main teams their first detailed comparison of form, equipment choice and lap-to-lap speed for the autumn calendar.

HG Cross Dendermonde Men 2026 Result