Lucinda Brand (Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions) gave her rivals for next weekend’s UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships a morale boost after finishing 10th at the penultimate World Cup round in Maasmechelen – ending a run of 63 consecutive podium placings.
The 36-year-old has been in commanding form this season with 18 wins from 23 races, and the World Cup overall series wrapped up.
She won last weekend’s World Cup round in Benidorm by just 10 seconds, but was never in contention on the fast and technical course in Maasmechelen on Saturday.
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Brand chased back through the pack to the battle for fifth; however, with her podium hopes over, she eased the pressure on the final lap and finished 10th at 56 seconds behind the winner, Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Premier Tech).
Dutch rival, Pieterse, returned from a knee injury to take victory, finishing 10 seconds ahead of her teammate Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado in second, while Amandine Fouquenet (Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw) finished third.
The result ended a run of 63 consecutive podiums for Brand, dating back to Benidorm two years ago.
Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions manager Sven Nys said that the performance was nothing to worry about ahead of next weekend’s UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships.
“Lucinda said before the start that she doesn't have the freshest legs," Nys told Sporza.
"Lucinda has had a tough week of training with a view to the World Championships, and as a result, she is a bit less fresh today. But that's no reason to panic.”
Brand had won eight out opening ten World Cup rounds heading into the weekend and had an unassailable 110-point lead in the series.
However, like her rivals, she used the previous weekend’s World Cup in Benidorm as part of a training block, with the cyclo-cross Worlds and the forthcoming road season in mind.
The fast and twisting course at Maasmechelen was also not favourable for Brand, and she made several uncharacteristic mistakes as the race went away from her.
Before the race, Brand predicted that if a front group got away from her, it would be difficult to bridge back across. “I think (the legs) are OK,” said Brand.
“I’m still getting into it a little bit, but I think they will be fine. Some parts are really tricky with the little banks.
“Of course, if you have a moment where it is going a little less smooth, maybe you lose connection with the group, and then it will be really hard to make it back to the front.
“Not having to fight for the last (World Cup overall) points makes it easier to race, you can just focus on having a good race, a good feeling towards that last, important weekend.”
Before the race, she was filmed pulling up a root with her hands after tripping on a difficult cambered ascent. Nys hopped over the course tape and helped remove the root. “I tried everything to make it (the course) a bit smoother," Brand said.
“How smoothly you are is important, and if you have a slip once, then you can just miss the connection there. There are a lot of ups and downs on this course. It's really a lot faster than last year.”
Brand hopes to be back in form on Sunday at the concluding UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup round in Hoogerheide in the Netherlands. She could break the record of most World Cup wins by a woman rider. Currently, Brand is equal on 28 Cyclo-cross World Cup victories with Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike).
