World champion Lucinda Brand: "Becoming world champion in your own country is so special"

Lucinda Brand succeeded on Saturday in Hulst in becoming cyclo-cross world champion for the second time. And that after a few difficult weeks for the Dordrecht rider, during which even a podium finish was no longer a given for Brand. "Still, I wasn’t that stressed," she said after the race for the camera of WielerFlits. "Of course, you have doubts on Sunday, but by Tuesday I already noticed significant progress. That’s when I really felt confident."

In Zeeland, Brand got the better of Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado, breaking away from her in the penultimate lap after a fierce battle. The same Alvarado had beaten Brand a few times in recent weeks.

"It’s very special that I managed to win the most important race of the season as well. I mean: when things go this well, you naturally want to win this one too. Of course, I’m relieved, but that relief might have been even greater if I hadn’t previously won a world title."

'These are fantastic days'
"These are fantastic days, to win here on home soil like this is really amazing. It’s so special. There were so many people cheering me on, a lot more than the usual five staff members," she concludes.

In the coming weeks, Brand will showcase her world title a few more times in cyclo-cross. After that, the rider from Baloise Insurance-Poetsbureau Lions will switch gears. The world champion also has to perform in the road season, she finishes.