Joris Nieuwenhuis wins second consecutive Superprestige round in Boom

Joris Nieuwenhuis won his second 2023-2024 Superprestige round Saturday in Boom, Belgium, rocketing up the standings from seventh to third. Third place on Saturday, Eli Iserbyt increased his lead at the top of the table to 23 points over Niels Vandeputte.

The Situation Going into Saturday

Having claimed the first three rounds and the runner-up spot in the fourth, Eli Iserbyt enjoyed a 20-point lead over Laurens Sweeck in the overall standings. Nieuwenhuis earned the victory in the last round.

Jens Adams stormed the hole shot on Lap 1. Thibau Nys was on his six and went inside Adams to seize the lead. Iserbyt, Nieuwenhuis and Cameron Mason also passed Adams. The gaps were diminutive at the line.

Nieuwenhuis powered away at the beginning of Lap 2. Mason, Iserbyt and Nys were the closest pursuers and gaps grew between the trio.

Nieuwenhuis continued his assault on the course during Lap 3 of 9. British champion Mason was his closest chaser seven seconds in arrears. Iserbyt’s teammate Michael Vanthourenhout joined him, the two distancing Nys.

Iserbyt and Vanthourenhout found themselves in a bigger group on Lap 4. Mason inched closer to the race leader. The fascinating battle between the Dutchman and the Brit continued on Lap 5. Niels Vandeputte was now in the podium scrap behind them.

Nieuwenhuis’s gap was eight seconds going into Lap 6. The elastic started to stretch, but Mason wouldn’t relent. Nys began to lose ground in the podium race, and Iserbyt put real estate between himself and the others. Mason once more closed the gap.

The pattern of Nieuwenhuis pulling out more time in the first half of the circuit and Mason closing in on the second half continued on Lap 7.

Iserbyt made the final podium step his on the penultimate lap. The Scot Mason kept Nieuwenhuis’s gap from ballooning before the finish line.

The next round isn’t until December 27 in Heusden-Zolder.

2023-2024 Superprestige, Round 5, Boom
1) Joris Nieuwenhuis (The Netherlands/Baloise Trek Lions) 57:32
2) Cameron Mason (Great Britain/Cyclocross Reds) +0:10
3) Eli Iserbyt (Belgium/Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) +0:52