"When things are going so well..." - Lucinda Brand caps off perfect season with world title in Hulst
Cyclocross
Lucinda Brand has had an extraordinary season, winning the World Cup and X2O Badkamers Trofee with absolute domination, as well as winning almost all races she started this winter and only missing the podium on one occasion. But she had failed to win the European and Dutch national championships; which alongside the rise in form of Puck Pieterse and Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado, caused concern in the veteran's camp. However, she managed to win under pressure today at the cyclocross world championships.
"It's so wonderful to win the most important event of the season when you've already had a really good one. I mean, when things are going so well, you naturally want to win this one too," Brand said in a post-race interview. "Of course, I'm relieved, but that relief might have been even greater if I hadn't already won the world title."
In 2021 Brand had won the rainbow jersey, but after Fem van Empel took over the reigns in the last few years, it was a big question on whether Brand would be able to do it once again. This year however opened a significant opportunity, as van Empel stepped away from the sport and Brand was left without competition throughout much of the season.
However today was perhaps the most important day of her season, and the pressure was on. But this was also the case with her rivals. Puck Pieterse suffered a meaningful crash during the race, and Brand had her best legs to cap off an almost flawless race, where she was able to get the best of Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado and take the rainbow jersey.
"Winning here in front of the home crowd is truly fantastic. It's so special," she admitted. "So many people were there to cheer me on, much more than the five staff members usually do".
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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