Results World Cup Benidorm | Lucinda Brand dominates solo to claim 18th win of the season

Under bright sun in Benidorm, the women’s World Cup opened at a fierce tempo on the redesigned course, with the long, rising strip towards the finish already shaping the race. Early on, Amandine Fouquenet and Lucinda Brand showed at the front, with Shirin van Anrooij briefly taking charge before the field began to thin.

Fouquenet soon tightened the pace, forcing small gaps behind Van Anrooij and Brand, while Marion Norbert Riberolle struggled to hold contact and drifted out of contention. As the race settled, Fouquenet led a compact front group, with Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado gradually riding herself into the race after a slower start.

Lucinda Brand then took control, lifting the tempo sharply. Blanka Kata Vas glued herself to Brand’s wheel, with Fouquenet and Alvarado following, but the elastic snapped behind as the race fragmented. At halfway, seven riders were still in the fight: Zemanova, Fouquenet, Celia Gery, Van Anrooij, Alvarado, Brand and Vas.

Zemanova applied pressure on the steps and briefly opened a gap on Fouquenet, while Alvarado repeatedly lost a few seconds on the finishing climb before clawing her way back. Brand then surged from deeper in the group, storming to the front and testing everyone. That acceleration dropped Zemanova, Alvarado and Vas, while Fouquenet and Gery latched on as a French tandem in Brand’s wheel.

With three laps to go, Brand made her intentions clear. She pushed hard over the rising finish and crested with around 11 seconds in hand, choosing to ride her final rather than wait for a sprint. Behind her, Fouquenet, Alvarado and Gery regrouped to fight for the remaining podium places.

Brand pressed on solo and soon distanced the two French riders as well, riding further clear and into full control. Alvarado began to come into her own in the chase, refusing to concede. A technical mistake briefly forced her off the bike, allowing Gery to move ahead, but Alvarado fought back into the battle.

On the final lap, Brand held a margin of more than 20 seconds, while behind her it remained a three-way fight for second. Fouquenet and Gery briefly pushed Alvarado off the podium places, but the Dutch champion timed her move perfectly. Just before the sand section, she slipped past Fouquenet and then produced a technically sharp move to open a gap.

Alvarado secured second place, while Fouquenet and Gery contested third all the way to the line. In the uphill sprint, Fouquenet edged her compatriot by half a wheel.

Out front, Lucinda Brand rode unchallenged to her first victory in Benidorm and her 18th win of the season, ending the recent run of dominance by Fem van Empel at this venue.