Lucinda Brand wins Koppenbergcross race

Lucinda Brand, the world champion in cyclocross, won the Koppenbergcross, the first round of the X2O Badkamers Trofee, in Belgium. This victory marks her fourth win of the season, following successes in Dendermonde, Ardooie, and Overijse.

Race highlights and early lead

Hélène Clauzel of France made the best start and quickly took the lead in the first slopes of the Koppenbergcross. Several athletes, including Lucinda Brand, Sara Casasola, and Marie Schreiber, positioned themselves at the front of the race.

Group formation and early challenges

Sara Casasola accelerated to create a breakaway group with Brand, Schreiber, Clauzel, and Inge van der Heijden, the European champion. Clauzel gradually lost ground, allowing Brand, Schreiber, and Casasola to take the lead.

Brand’s decisive move in fourth lap

Lucinda Brand made a decisive attack in the fourth of six laps, distancing both Schreiber and Casasola. Despite Casasola's resistance, Brand built a ten-second lead by the start of the penultimate lap.

Final lap and victory

Brand maintained her lead without making any mistakes, finishing the race alone. Casasola finished second, followed by Schreiber, while Hélène Clauzel and Amandine Fouquenet completed the top five. Fem van Empel finished eighth.