Results Koppenbergcross Women's 2025 | Lucinda Brand conquers as rising star Célia Gery shines in superb second place

Lucinda Brand conquered the Koppenberg at long last, claiming her first ever victory on the iconic climb after taming treacherous mud, cobbles and a spirited challenge from French sensation Célia Gery. The Baloise Trek leader finally cracked the 19-year-old in the closing laps to secure a hard-earned win in Round 1 of the X2O Badkamers Trofee, delivering a powerful statement in one of cyclocross’ purest tests of climbing and grit.

The race exploded immediately on the first ascent, but the biggest drama arrived within minutes as world champion Fem van Empel shockingly stepped off the bike less than a lap in — shaking her head in the pits and ending her day abruptly.

Brand pushed on unfazed, duelling early with Sara Casasola and Anais Fouquenet before the conditions tightened their grip. A slick off-camber saw Casasola slide out, and soon Brand’s only company was Gery, who produced a breakout performance worthy of her growing reputation.

The teenager clung to the Dutchwoman on every brutal ramp, recovering superbly from a brief slip to remount and continue the fight. Brand chipped time away methodically, attacking each cobbled stretch and drag with trademark precision. Lap on lap, she eased the elastic, finally forcing Gery into the red when the course kicked skyward again.

Behind, Casasola distanced Clauzel in the battle for third, while Belgian champion Marion Norbert Riberolle endured a nightmare first lap and could only salvage places rather than contention.

Gery rallied in the final circuit — at one point halving the gap with a daring line on a slick slope — but Brand remained flawless. One final bike change in the pits confirmed her control, and she powered over the cobbles to win with eight seconds in hand. Gery followed for a magnificent runner-up finish, a breakout ride that positions her firmly among the sport’s brightest futures.

A first Koppenbergcross title for Brand, and a new star announced on the toughest hill in cyclocross.