'I knew I could win': Cameron Mason delivers maiden Belgian cyclocross triumph in Niel

Cameron Mason soloed to his first televised cyclocross win on Belgian soil on Wednesday at the Jaarmarktcross in Niel. 

The British champion, who had finished no lower than eighth in his first eight outings of the season, had been patiently waiting for his time in the spotlight, and it finally came on a rain-soaked course in Niel. 

Patience was also the name of the game for Mason in Niel, with inclement weather and true cyclocross conditions always likely to suit his power, running and technique. 

Mason worked his way through the field in the opening laps before joining Kevin Kuhn, Michael Vanthorenhout, Joran Wyseure and Joris Nieuwenhuis at the head of the race. 

Eventually, Mason, Vanthourenhout and Wyseure would pull clear, with Kuhn suffering a mechanical. However, halfway through the penultimate lap, Vanthourenhout crashed while in the lead, opening the door for both Mason and Wyseure to take advantage. 

The British champion was able to open a slender advantage of four seconds on Wyseure as he reached the bell lap.

Despite the high stakes, Mason remained calm and composed on the eighth and final lap, nailing each technical section and putting the power down where he could. 

By the finish, the British champion had plenty of time to soak up the achievement and celebrate his first cyclocross victory as an elite inside mainland Europe. 

Wyseure finished 20 seconds behind in second while Nieuwenhuis rounded out the podium at 27 seconds. Vanthourenhout finished eighth after his crash.

“I can’t really describe how I’m feeling right now,” Mason said post-race, according to Het Laatste Nieuws.

“For the first time, I went into today’s race knowing I could win. Why? Because of how I rode at the European Championships on Sunday. I had the level required for a medal, but for some reason, it didn’t happen. Today, there was only one option in my mind: to win.”

The British champion finished sixth in the European Championships in Zeddam on Sunday, working his way into podium contention after a tricky start. 

The challenging conditions in Niel increased the likelihood of mistakes for all parties involved, but Mason felt like his lack of a significant mishap on Wednesday was a crucial factor in his success.

“To be honest, I felt terrible during the race, but that was probably true for everyone given the conditions. I didn’t make a single mistake, and that’s what made the difference today.”

The race also had a homely feeling for Mason, who resides in Boom, just a few kilometres away. 

Boom was the site of Britain’s last Superprestige win back in 2022, when Tom Pidcock soloed to victory in the rainbow jersey. 

Mason’s triumph in Niel also sees him become the first non-Belgian or Dutch winner of a Superprestige race in the elite men’s category since Pidcock.

After three rounds of the Superprestige series, Mason sits atop the overall standings on 39 points, with Wyseure trailing closely behind on 38. Vanthourenhout is also firmly in the mix on 37 points.