"That's pretty absurd": Lucinda Brand shocked by her own dominance in the mud

Lucinda Brand claimed on Sunday a long-awaited victory in the dunes of Koksijde, delivering another powerful performance to win the iconic sand cross for the first time in her career. She has won the 5 UCI World Cup races she has participated in this season, showcasing absolute dominance.

Brand made an immediate impact with a powerful start, and she was already riding solo at the end of the second lap. Her advantage kept increasing steadily, as her rivals never had a chance to close the gap. By the final laps, the outcome was beyond doubt.

Behind her, teammate Shirin van Anrooij secured second place at a clear distance, while Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado completed the podium after a hard-fought battle for third. It was eight riders from the Netherlands in the top 8.

At the start of the season I set a few goals, and Koksijde was one of them. The sand doesn’t necessarily suit me, which made this race an extra challenge. I’m super happy to win here for the first time," Brand said in a post-interview in quotes gathered by Sporza.

The victory marked Brand’s 12th win in 14 races this winter. She finished in second place in both races she didn't win, a statistic she herself described as striking. "That’s pretty absurd," she said. "It’s a nice reward for all the hard work."

Van Anrooij acknowledged her teammate’s superiority on the day and on the season in general. "Lucinda was very strong on the intermediate sections today, second place was the maximum possible for me." She added optimistically: "Step by step I’m getting back to my highest level. The Christmas period is still long."

"What Lucinda is doing this season is really special, especially considering her personal situation in recent weeks. I have nothing but admiration for her."

Alvarado, who edged out Aniek van Alphen and Puck Pieterse in the final fight for third, commented: "The battle for third place must have been incredibly exciting for the viewers. We were all exhausted and fought until the end. I can be very satisfied with yesterday and today. I don't have a victory yet, but maybe that will come."