X2O Trophy Kortrijk: Lucinda Brand wins elite women's race

Lucinda Brand (Telenet Baloise) secured victory at the X²O Badkamers Trophy’s Urban Cross Kortrijk on Saturday. It was an all Dutch podium as Brand sprinted for the win ahead of Denise Betsema (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) in second and Yara Kastelijn (Credishop-Fristads).

World champion Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Alpecin-Fenix) crashed in the closing metres of the race and was out of contention for the final sprint, finishing in fourth place.

Brand attacked a lead group of contenders as the race head into the last of six laps. Her rivals stuck to her rear wheel, however, as Betsema, Alvarado and Kastelijn clung to the fast pace through the first half of the last lap. The quartet ’s high speeds meant that a sizeable gap opened on chasers Annemarie Worst (777) and Fem van Empel (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal).

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Inside the final half lap, Betsema overtook Brand for the front position and then opened a small gap through an off-camber section, forcing Brand to chase with Alvarado on her wheel, while Kastelijn barely hung onto the back. 

Alvarado slide out on a slick, muddy off-camber section, and was caught by the netting on the course. She got back on her bike but lost a significant number of seconds to the three leaders and was out of contention for the final sprint.

Betsema led the three riders into the finale followed by Brand and Kastelijn, through the zig zag fencing and into the last straightaway. Onto the tarmac, Betsema led the trio into the uphill sprint but as she slowed and looked over her shoulder at her rivals, Brand kicked for the line with 150 metres to go to take the win.

Betsema finished second, Kastelijn third, and 13 seconds later, Alvarado rolled over the finish line in fourth.