Lucinda Brand remains positive despite defeat at Flandriencross Hamme: "I am satisfied"

Lucinda Brand couldn’t get the win at the Flandriencross Hamme, after she was beaten in a dramatic finale by her rival Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado. Still, the former world champion was ultimately happy with her performance.

“I am satisfied. I think Sara was very strong today. It was not really possible to lose her," Brand told Wielerflits afterwards. "Ceylin was extremely strong in character. And she knows what to do in such a final round."

Brand also decided to switch her bike during the final lap, which cost her some seconds. “I would have preferred not to. I knew it was going to be a very difficult final.

"When it skips all the time, you don’t feel very happy about it. I didn’t have the tire pressure increased. It was purely because of that skipping. It was a risk, because usually you come out of the post with a gap. This time too. But luckily I was able to close that.”

Overall, Brand still believes it was a positive outing, “That is always a bonus. I gained five seconds in the first bonus sprint and then a few more seconds on the finish line.”