The Berencross in Meulebeke, Belgium, served as round two of the HG Cross series on Saturday, October 17, 2026, and a pre-race downpour turned the circuit treacherous before the Elite races got underway. Riders faced a revised layout this year, run in the opposite direction with the large bridge removed, while the familiar sandpit, steps, banks and washboard sections all remained.
The Berencross has raced in recent seasons under the Exact Cross banner. The series takes its name from its title sponsor over the years — the Brico and Ethias eras before software company Exact — and since this season it is backed by cleaning-products brand HG, hence the HG Cross name.
Elite Women’s Race
The biggest storyline of the day was the return of Fem van Empel. The three-time world champion lined up for her first race in almost a year — and her debut for her new team Specialized TMRW — and, starting from the back of the grid in 24th position, she carved her way through the field to finish fourth in 47:07, just 35 seconds behind the winner. Marie Schreiber (Team SD Worx Protime) took the victory in 46:32, holding off Aniek van Alphen (+0:15) and Lucinda Brand (+0:30), with Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado rounding out the top five at +0:36.
Three Americans made the trip to Meulebeke. Mia Aseltine finished 19th in 50:31 (+3:59), Kaya Musgrave placed 24th in 51:14 (+4:42), and Emily Shields came home 28th in 53:41 (+7:09).
2026 HG Cross Berencross Elite Women’s Results
| Place | Rider | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marie Schreiber | Team SD Worx Protime | 46:32 |
| 2 | Aniek van Alphen | 777TV CX Team | +0:15 |
| 3 | Lucinda Brand | Baloise Verzekeringen – Het Poetsbureau Lions | +0:30 |
| 4 | Fem van Empel | Specialized TMRW | +0:35 |
| 5 | Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado | Fenix-Premier Tech | +0:36 |
| 6 | Inge van der Heijden | Crelan-Corendon | +1:12 |
| 7 | Leonie Bentveld | Pauwels Sauzen – Altez IndustrieBouw CT | +1:18 |
| 8 | Annemarie Worst | Baloise Verzekeringen – Het Poetsbureau Lions | +1:21 |
| 9 | Denise Betsema | De Ceuster Bouwkranen | +1:24 |
| 10 | Julie Brouwers | Charles Liégeois CX Team | +1:31 |
| 11 | Amandine Fouquenet | Pauwels Sauzen – Altez IndustrieBouw CT | +1:47 |
| 12 | Hélène Clauzel | 777TV CX Team | +1:56 |
| 13 | Alicia Franck | X-Oats-Lotto Athletes for Hope | +2:08 |
| 14 | Rebecca Gariboldi | De Ceuster Bouwkranen | +2:24 |
| 15 | Sterre Vervloet | Charles Liégeois CX Team | +2:32 |
| 16 | Anniek Mos | KDM-Pack Cycling Team | +2:32 |
| 17 | Lucia Bramati | FAS Airport Services – Guerciotti | +2:45 |
| 18 | Xenna De Bruyckere | De Ceuster-Acrog | +3:50 |
| 19 | Mia Aseltine | Competitive Edge Racing | +3:59 |
| 20 | Sanne Laurijssen | Crelan-Corendon | +4:13 |
| 21 | Jana Dobbelaere | Individueel | +4:17 |
| 22 | Kim Van de Steene | Individueel | +4:25 |
| 23 | Camille Devigne | Espoir Cycliste Wambrechies Marquette | +4:41 |
| 24 | Kaya Musgrave | Competitive Edge Racing | +4:42 |
| 25 | Kiona Crabbé | Op Kop Cycling Team | +5:19 |
| 26 | Femke Lenferink | WV Schijndel | +5:22 |
| 27 | Zita Peeters | De Ceuster Bouwkranen | +6:09 |
| 28 | Emily Shields | — | +7:09 |
| 29 | Jinse Peeters | De Ceuster Bouwkranen | +7:09 |
| 30 | Lisa Maes | De Ceuster-Acrog | +7:19 |
| 31 | Meg De Bruyne | Super Help – Evil Eye | +7:42 |
| 32 | Alana Polfliet | Never Give Up by Jolien Verschueren | -1 LAP |
| 33 | Tessa Zwaenepoel | Kasseien Fiets Huis CT | -1 LAP |
| 34 | Kirstine Rysbjerg | NUCLI CC | -3 LAP |
| DNF | Lara Defour | Cycling Team Jade – LDL | DNF |
Elite Men’s Race
Michael Vanthourenhout won the Elite Men’s race after a final-lap battle with Jente Michels, taking the victory in 1:02:28. Michels finished one second back in second, with Niels Vandeputte and Witse Meeussen also just a second adrift in third and fourth, and Gerben Kuypers completing the top five at +0:07. No North American riders lined up in the Elite Men’s field.
2026 HG Cross Berencross Elite Men’s Results
| Place | Rider | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Vanthourenhout | Pauwels Sauzen – Altez IndustrieBouw CT | 1:02:28 |
| 2 | Jente Michels | Alpecin-Premier Tech | +0:01 |
| 3 | Niels Vandeputte | Alpecin-Premier Tech | +0:01 |
| 4 | Witse Meeussen | Crelan-Corendon | +0:01 |
| 5 | Gerben Kuypers | Pauwels Sauzen – Altez IndustrieBouw CT | +0:07 |
| 6 | Cameron Mason | 777TV CX Team | +0:10 |
| 7 | Ryan Kamp | Team Bomba Join | +0:15 |
| 8 | Giel Lejeune | D.O.S. VZW | +0:21 |
| 9 | Felipe Orts Lloret | Euskaltel – Euskadi | +0:38 |
| 10 | Victor Van de Putte | Charles Liégeois CX Team | +1:06 |
| 11 | Viktor Vandenberghe | Pauwels Sauzen – Altez IndustrieBouw CT | +1:10 |
| 12 | Kay De Bruyckere | Pauwels Sauzen – Altez IndustrieBouw CT | +1:19 |
| 13 | Laurens Sweeck | Crelan-Corendon | +1:19 |
| 14 | Joran Wyseure | Crelan-Corendon | +1:21 |
| 15 | Wout Janssen | Cyclis – Roofs for Energy – Van den Plas CT | +1:25 |
| 16 | Toon Vandebosch | Crelan-Corendon | +1:32 |
| 17 | Mees Hendrikx | Team Bomba Join | +1:39 |
| 18 | Ward Huybs | Individueel | +1:45 |
| 19 | Mats Vanden Eynde | Baloise Verzekeringen – Het Poetsbureau Lions | +1:49 |
| 20 | Ugo Ananie | VCU Schwenheim | +2:31 |
| 21 | Sil De Brauwere | Pauwels Sauzen – Altez IndustrieBouw CT | +2:45 |
| 22 | Arthur Soontjens | Cyclis – Roofs for Energy – Van den Plas CT | +2:58 |
| 23 | Antoine Jamin | AARCO | +3:02 |
| 24 | Jari Van Lee | Pauwels Sauzen – Altez IndustrieBouw CT | +3:06 |
| 25 | Ryan Laenen | Fietsservice-Mondraker Team | +3:15 |
| 26 | Cas Timmermans | Heizomat – Cube | +3:32 |
| 27 | Lars Daelmans | Pauwels Sauzen – Altez IndustrieBouw CT | +3:39 |
| 28 | Arne Baers | Baloise Verzekeringen – Het Poetsbureau Lions | +3:47 |
| 29 | Arthur Van den Boer | Baloise Verzekeringen – Het Poetsbureau Lions | +3:53 |
| 30 | Matisse Arys | KVC Noordzeemeeuw | +4:06 |
| 31 | Lars Corsus | Starbikes – Ridley CT | +4:29 |
| 32 | Keano Geens | Woutim Cycling Team | +4:37 |
| 33 | Wies Nuyens | Pauwels Sauzen – Altez IndustrieBouw CT | +4:58 |
| 34 | Yoren Vanhoudt | Cyclis – Roofs for Energy – Van den Plas CT | +5:03 |
| 35 | Aubin Villar Thiery | Etoile Cycliste Chateau Thierry | +5:16 |
| 36 | Tibo Vancompernolle | DL Chemicals – Experza Cycling Team | +5:42 |
| 37 | Federico Ceolin | FAS Airport Services – Guerciotti | +5:55 |
| 38 | Arthur Janssens | Cyclis – Roofs for Energy – Van den Plas CT | +6:04 |
| 39 | Toon Heirbaut | DCR Cycling Team | +6:42 |
| 40 | Thomas Verheyen | Atar – Van Gorp Projects CT | +7:19 |
| 41 | Bengt Daelmans | Cyclis – Roofs for Energy – Van den Plas CT | -2 LAP |
| 42 | Miles Gevaert | Tomabel-Inofec Cyclingteam | -2 LAP |
| 43 | Dean Harvey | — | -3 LAP |
| 44 | Nicola Parenti | Bike Academy-Marchini Costruzioni | -3 LAP |
| 45 | Filippo Cecchi | Bike Academy-Marchini Costruzioni | -3 LAP |
| 46 | Brent Maes | Cyclocross Team MJ Wood | -4 LAP |
| 47 | Jorit Deprez | Individueel | -5 LAP |
| DNF | Anton Ferdinande | Pauwels Sauzen – Altez IndustrieBouw CT | DNF |
| DNF | Yorben Lauryssen | Tarteletto – Isorex | DNF |
| DNF | Tommaso Cafueri | FAS Airport Services – Guerciotti | DNF |
| DNF | Stan Van Grieken | Cyclis – Roofs for Energy – Van den Plas CT | DNF |
| DNF | Dima Roels | Wielerclub “Onder-Ons Parike” VZW | DNF |
| DNF | Thibo Van Loon | GMS Cycling Team Glabbeek | DNF |
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