"Two of the three commissaires agreed with me" - Schreiber slams 'disrespectful' jury decision to overturn her European Championships gold medal
Cyclocross
Marie Schreiber has described the moments after it was revealed that her initial Cyclocross European Championships victory was under review, claiming that the process was 'disrespectful and unfair' as the race jury ultimately relegated her to second place. Lucinda Brand was subsequently awarded the gold medal.
Schreiber and Brand came to the finish line together in Saturday's showcase in Zeddam as an uphill sprint to the line saw the Luxembourg rider cross the line first. However, it soon emerged that commissaires were reviewing the footage as it appeared she made a slight deviation to the left during the rush to the line.
As Schreiber missed the podium presentation and expressed her heartbreak at the decision to demote her to the silver medal, the Netherlands camp confirmed that the nation did not appeal the result and that the jury opted to review it on their own accord.
Furthermore, Luxembourg have now lodged a formal complaint as Lucinda Brand implied her disappointment about the revised result. Speaking further on the incident, Schreiber claims she wasn't given the opportunity to explain the situation on her end.
"After the finish, we were called in to review the footage with the jury," Scheiber told RTL Luxembourg.
"There were three commissaires present, and I tried to explain my side of the story, but I wasn't given the opportunity to do so. I found that incredibly disrespectful and unfair."
Marie Schreiber appeared to take victory at the end of the elite women's race
Schreiber criticises relegation decision
Noting that brand acknowledged the initial result as fair, Schreiber noted that although some commissaires expressed agreement with her, the commissaires president ultimately made the final call.
"Lucinda herself said afterwards that it was a fair sprint. She hadn't lodged a protest either. The decision came entirely from the jury.
"Two of the three commissaires agreed with me. They also believed it was a fair sprint, but the jury president wouldn't change his mind and decided to relegate me anyway."
UCI commissaires president for the event was Italy's Ernesto Maggioni. He also served as technical commissaire at the Giro d'Italia Women this season. Schreiber's SD Worx-Protime teammate Lorena Wiebes was disqualified following her victory on stage one after it was found that her bike weighed 20 grams less than the UCI's minimum bicycle weight allowance.
Read also
Luxembourg file complaint over result
The result of the Luxembourg cycling federation's complaint is yet to be confirmed. Although the matter is not yet settled, Schreiber can still see the positives in the ordeal as she admitted that she's proud of her race performance.
"In my opinion, it was the best race I've ever ridden. I can be proud of what I've achieved," she said.
The 23-year-old showed incredible form in the race, emassing a huge gap in the opening lap as she put 20 seconds into world champion Brand on the fast course. Although Brand and Ceylin Alvardo managed to bridge across to the rider in subsequent laps, she remained comfortable in battle with the experienced riders to contest the sprint.
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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