Lucinda Brand Praises 19-Year-Old Talent: "I Hope She Keeps Challenging Me"

For a long time, Lucinda Brand seemed certain to win the Koppenbergcross, but that completely changed in the final lap. Then the surprising Célia Gery—just 19 years old—made things very difficult for Brand.

"I went very deep," Brand says in the post-race interview. "I don’t know what it was: normally, I always stay very cool in such situations. But maybe I wanted to be so careful that it actually went very slowly. On that slanted section and descent, I was fumbling a bit, which is exactly the spot where my strength lies. That’s such a shame. Those are free seconds you’re giving away."

Afterwards, Brand had some kind words for the very young Gery. "Célia was so strong; she’s the under-23 world champion for a reason. I knew I had to start the final climb with a gap. It’s great to see new talents emerging. I hope she makes things difficult for me many more times."

Still, the former world champion was mainly satisfied that she was able to finish strong. "That means a lot to me; I’ve come very close a few times. This one has always been circled in red, but it never worked out. It never gets easier here. At first, you think: nice. But in those final laps, it gets so tough."