Rutger's main objectives at the start of the season were twofold: to win at least one Superprestige event and to finish in the top-three in the overall 2000 Superprestige Cup.  In the end he realizes much more.

Rutger starts with a second victory in the Superprestige Geel.  One week later he wins the Belgian Championship short distance in Middelkerke. From then on, the season is already a big success. It can only get better!
After a few of less eye-catching races, Rutger wins the short distance triathlon in Aarschot en finishes second after his friend Vanhoenacker in the Superprestige events of Antoing and Leuven. From that moment, winning the 2000 Superprestige Cup becomes the next objective. He finishes 4th in Weiswampach and wins Meerhout and Mol. With 4 victories and two second places, he effectively wins the Superprestige Cup for the first time in his career. In September he participates in the famous Zwintriathlon of Knokke. He manages to bridge a two-minute gap on Luc Van Lierde during the bike leg, but he cannot finish the expected fight during the final run, since his running shoes have mysteriously disappeared from the transition zone. A very painful situation, but it turns Rutger into a TV personality in the next week, when he has to explain time and again what happened to him.

All together, a  very nice 2000 season for Rutger, who definitely did much better than expected and now can claim to be the best short distance triathlete in Belgium!