The Rabo-Liv Giant team staged a podium sweep of the Dutch women's road race championship, with Lucinda Brand soloing away to win half a minute ahead of world champion Marianne Vos and Annamiek van Vleuten.
Brand found herself off the front of the race after a probing attack, and said she never dared to think she could stay away to the finish.
"It wasn't even a serious attack, it was just more a test, but once I was gone, I kept pushing. During the last three laps I had tunnel vision and just dragged myself up the climbs hoping they would not catch me. "
Though she had teammates behind, Brand knew that in the national championships the situation is different. "This is the championships, and everyone is racing for her own chances. Obviously, I'm delighted that I stayed away. This is the highlight of my career."
Vos, who was second for the second year in a row, had no regrets about her finish today. "Behind Brand, the remaining riders were Amy Pieters and Ellen van Dijk, and they let her go. Then it's not up to us to close the gap. Also, if you win the way Lucinda did today, then you haven't simply stolen the victory."
| 1 | Lucinda Brand (Ned) Rabobank-Liv Giant | 3:12:28 |
| 2 | Marianne Vos (Ned) Rabobank-Liv Giant | 0:00:28 |
| 3 | Annemiek van Vleuten (Ned) Rabobank-Liv Giant | 0:00:29 |
| 4 | Amy Pieters (Ned) Argos - Shimano | 0:01:37 |
| 5 | Vera Koedooder (Ned) Sengers Ladies Cycling Team | 0:01:38 |
| 6 | Thalita de Jong (Ned) Rabobank-Liv Giant | 0:01:40 |
| 7 | Loes Gunnewijk (Ned) Orica - AIS | 0:01:42 |
| 8 | Sabrina Stultiens (Ned) Rabobank-Liv Giant | 0:03:12 |
| 9 | Roxane Knetemann (Ned) Rabobank-Liv Giant | 0:05:56 |
| 10 | Adrie Visser (Ned) Boels-Dolmans Cycling team | 0:07:56 |
| 11 | Sanne van Paassen (Ned) Rabobank-Liv Giant | 0:07:57 |
| 12 | Anouska Koster (Ned) Team Futurumshop.nl | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
| 13 | Lisanne Soemanta (Ned) | 0:08:00 |
| 14 | Rozanne Slik (Ned) | 0:08:42 |
| 15 | Nina Kessler (Ned) | 0:10:12 |
| 16 | Kirsten Wild (Ned) Argos - Shimano | 0:10:13 |
| 17 | Esra Tromp (Ned) Argos - Shimano | 0:10:14 |
| 18 | Ilona Hoeksma (Ned) | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
| 19 | Janine van der Meer (Ned) Team Futurumshop.nl | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
| 20 | Moniek Tenniglo (Ned) | 0:10:15 |
| 21 | Iris Slappendel (Ned) Rabobank-Liv Giant | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
| 22 | Janneke Ensing (Ned) | 0:10:17 |
| 23 | Sophie de Boer (Ned) | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
| 24 | Natalie van Gogh (Ned) | 0:10:18 |
| 25 | Marieke van Wanroij (Ned) | 0:10:22 |
| 26 | Chantal Blaak (Ned) Team Tibco-To the Top | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
| 27 | Martine Bras (Ned) | 0:10:31 |
| 28 | Mary Rose Postma (Ned) | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
-
An improvised parking lot podium for Vuelta a España with drink coolers as steps and podium pooches
Chaos around the Madrid finale may have halted the official ceremony but another plan quickly evolved -
2025 gravel national champions index
A guide to who is wearing the jersey of a gravel national champion and when the title battles take place -
Virginia's Blue Ridge CO Cross: Rochette and Strohmeyer go back-to-back with C2 victories in Roanoke
Bakker and Mani earn podiums on Sunday for elite women while Brunner repeats in second ahead of Werner for elite men -
Eyewitness: Destroyed barricades, flares and police lines – the unfolding turmoil that stopped the Vuelta a España reaching the final finish line in Madrid
As riders celebrated on the road in the early kilometres of stage 21 ominous signs mounted around the pro-Palestine protest lined barriers of the final circuit
