The Superprestige races pack the crowds in(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Niels Albert powers over the hill in Hamme Zogge(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Hamme Zogge attracts large crowds for the Superprestige(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The stairs are a decisive point in the race in Hamme Zogge(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Sven Nys proved best in the mud of Asper-Gavere in 2012(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Sven Nys tackles the Hoogstraten Superprestige(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Mechanics work overtime on cleaning bikes in the Supeprestige(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Crowds come out by the tens of thousands for the Superprestige(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Sven Nys has 60 career Superprestige wins(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Sven Nys in the dunes of Zonhoven(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Niels Albert came to grief in the sand pit at Ruddervoorde last year.(Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)
Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet-KDL) takes his 56th Superprestige win in Ruddervoorde in 2012(Image credit: Photopress.be)
Niels Albert (BKCP-Powerplus) in the deep Zonhoven sand(Image credit: Photopress.be)
Huge crowds turned out in Zonhoven for the second round of the Superprestige series(Image credit: Photopress.be)
A year after a serious crash at the Gavere Superprestige event, Niels Albert (BKCP - Powerplus) soloed to victory.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Belgian Champion Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet - Tönissteiner)(Image credit: Cyclingnews.com)
Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner)(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The Superprestige Gieten finale was a three-man race between Belgian champion Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet-KDL) and Sunweb-Revor teammates Kevin Pauwels and Klaas Vantornout.(Image credit: Photopress.be)
Niels Albert on the way to his fourth straight win in the Diegem Superprestige(Image credit: Photopress.be)
Bart Wellens (Bel) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team finished in 6th(Image credit: Photopress.be)
Sven Vanthourenhout (Sunweb-Projob)(Image credit: Daniel Simms)
After winning last week's 'cross on Middelkerke this is the second victory of the season for Klaas Vantornout (Sunweb-Revor).(Image credit: Stijn Vercaemer/www.CyclingView.be)
Sven Nys celebrated Superprestige win #60 in Hoogstraten 2013(Image credit: Photopress.be)
The crowds were intense at the Superprestige in Hamme-Zogge(Image credit: Photopress.be)
The 2013-2014 Hansgrohe Superprestige was presented this week with a promise to stick to the formula which has made the eight-race series one of the most prestigious over its 31 year history.
Organiser Etienne Gevaert took a dig at the bpost Bank Trofee, which introduced a time classification and bonus sprints last season, stating, "We do not like innovations. We will not manipulate the races with an intermediate sprint", according to cyclo-cross.info.
The eight-race series gets underway next weekend in Ruddervoorde, then heads to the sand dunes of Zonhoven before moving on to the lung-busting stairs of Hamme-Zogge, the slick off-camber turns of Gavere and on to the only Dutch round in Gieten in November. The holiday race in Diegem takes place on December 29, then the series takes a break until after the world championships with its season closers in Hoogstraten and Middelkerke in February.
There will be course changes to the rounds in Gieten and Diegem. The race in the Netherlands will move to its previous location along the Nyslootsweg, ensuring a sandy course, while the organisers' attempts to create and indoor course in Hoogstraten wasn't approved by the UCI, so the course will be a flat ride through the meadow.
Expect world champion Sven Nys to battle for his 13th overall series victory. The Belgian won his 60th Superprestige race in Hoogstraten earlier this year en route to series win number 12.
There are also series classifications for juniors and U23 men, but no series overall for women.
2013-2014 Hansgrohe Superprestige October 27, 2013: Ruddervoorde November 3, 2013: Zonhoven November 10, 2013: Hamme-Zogge November 17, 2013: Gavere November 24, 2013: Gieten December 29, 2013: Diegem February 9, 2014: Hoogstraten February 15, 2014: Middelkerke
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