Lucinda Brand loses the fight for second in Namur after a tactical mistake: "I was the first to reach the top but still allowed Puck to pass me"
Cyclocross
Lucinda Brand had to give up to Ceylin Alvarado in the Namur World Cup. The 34-year-old rider from Baloise-Trek Lions started slowly, but gained momentum as the race progressed. However, in the final Brand had to give up the second place to Puck Pieterse after a slight tactical mistake.
Brand was not only disappointed afterwards, but also angry with herself. "I am indeed standing here with a toothache. I never start well, but I sank a little further than was useful, which meant it took longer before I could do my thing."
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Alvarado didn't wait and quickly made her move. She would not see the rest until the finish line. "Ceylin had a really good day and went very fast, but halfway through the race Puck and I got closer and the gap became smaller. Then Ceylin found the second light, rode a super fast climb and widened the gap again. Then I knew we weren't going to get to her anymore."
In the final, Pieterse passed Brand to second place. "I didn't get as far on the diagonal side as I wanted. I was the first to reach the top and then I simply can't hand over the lead, but that happened anyway. I'd rather be second than third and there was no need to let Pieterse in front."
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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