Lucinda Brand defended brilliantly to take the seventh victory of her cyclo-cross season at the Bollekescross at Hamme-Zogge on Sunday.
The Baloise-Het Poetsburea Lions rider appeared to struggle on some parts of the course, but was able to out-drag Italian champion Sara Casasola (Crelan-Corendon) on the long finish straight, taking the win and maintaining her lead in the X2O Trofee.
With Casasola second, Amandone Fouquenet (Pauwels Sauzen- Altezt Industriebouw) crossed the line in third place, 10 seconds behind the winner.
After her mid-week crash had appeared to struggle on one of the run-ups, stopping before remounting for the descent, as well as appearing slower than her rivals on the technical whoop section. However, it was there she made her race winning move, gapping Casasola, and though the Italian came back to her wheel, the Dutchwoman had too much power in the final.
The result was a repeat of the X2O Trofee’s first round at the Koppenbergcross, , so the one-two in the series remains the same.
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A recent addition to the Cyclingnews staff, Owen Rogers is an experienced journalist, working as a freelancer covering the sport for various magazines and websites for more than 10 years.
Initially concentrating mainly on the women's sport, he has covered hundreds of race days on the ground and interviewed some of the sport's biggest names.
Living near Cambridge in the UK, when he's not working you'll find him either riding his bike or playing drums.
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