Results Azencross Loenhout | Lucinda Brand defies Zemanova charge to claim sweet 16th win of the season

Lucinda Brand has made it a sweet 16 victories for the season with a hard-fought win at the X2O Trofee Azencross Loenhout, but this time the outcome was decided by patience and timing rather than a long solo ride.

The opening laps were notably controlled. A clean start on the Brechtseweg produced a large lead group, with Marie Schreiber and Marion Norbert Riberolle prominent early on. Brand was not among the fastest away, but calmly worked her way forward, avoiding risks as the Loenhout circuit began to turn slick.

Conditions deteriorated steadily, yet without early incidents the front remained compact. Brand chose a measured approach, dismounting cautiously at the stream section and allowing others to animate the race. Zoe Backstedt and Kristyna Zemanova spent time on the front, while Manon Bakker used aggressive jumping over the planks and gully to create small gaps before a bike change briefly disrupted her momentum.

The race shifted midway through. Brand gradually increased the pressure, and Norbert Riberolle attempted to seize initiative with a sharp acceleration, briefly lifting the tempo. Zemanova followed immediately, underlining her growing influence at the head of the race. When Brand finally committed with a stronger acceleration in the fourth lap, the elastic stretched hard but refused to snap. Norbert Riberolle was pushed to the limit, yet Zemanova repeatedly clawed her way back.

A lull allowed the front to regroup, producing a select lead group of six riders: Brand, Zemanova, Bakker, Norbert Riberolle, Backstedt and Larissa Hartog. The repeated reshuffling highlighted the tactical nature of the contest, with Brand clearly strong but unable to ride clear as Zemanova continued to match her efforts.

Everything came down to the final lap. Brand, Zemanova and Bakker emerged as the strongest trio, with Backstedt unable to bridge the final gap. Brand raised the pressure once more, riding cleanly through the closing technical sections and forcing Zemanova to the absolute limit. Despite the Czech champion’s refusal to yield, Brand maintained a narrow advantage through the decisive moments.

In the final kilometres, Brand held her nerve and avoided mistakes to secure the win, her 12th consecutive victory. Zemanova crossed the line second after a resilient ride, while Bakker completed the podium in third.

It was not the familiar solo demolition, but a tactically rich and closely fought race. In Loenhout, Brand proved once again that control and timing can be just as decisive as brute force.