🚵🇧🇪 | Welkom in Gullegem, welkom bij de cross! De vrouwen zijn onderweg. Met helaas een vroege valpartij in het veld... 🚀🚀 #Superprestige 📺Stream cross op HBO Max
Queen Lucinda goes full steam ahead after stunning comeback to win in Gullegem
Cyclo-crossSaturday, 04 January 2025 at 15:11
Lucinda Brand has written the Superprestige-cross in Gullegem to her name. The Dutch champion seemed defeated after a grueling Christmas period but won after an impressive catch-up race. Zoe Bäckstedt finished second, ahead of Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado. This also makes Brand the new leader in the Superprestige ranking, with one race to go.
The youngest legs were clearly the most explosive, as Zoe Bäckstedt and Leonie Bentveld were the first to dive into the field. Diving was also happening in the background, with some big names involved in an early tumble in the mud. Due to the freezing cold during the night and the thaw in the morning, it was extremely slippery in Gullegem.
Bäckstedt is automatically among the first when mud is mentioned, but next to her and Bentveld, brand-new Fenix-Deceuninck rider Puck Langenbarg also had a good start. As always, Brand had to warm up in her Dutch champion jersey, but she had already moved up a bit among all the youngsters during the opening lap. Alvarado was fit as well.
After one lap Bäckstedt, Bentveld, and Alvarado had a gap on the chasers with Brand, and Brand could not immediately correct that on the second lap. Together with the fast-running Marion Norbert-Riberolle, the two were stuck about ten seconds behind the front three. There, it was Alvarado who smelled blood and accelerated on the third lap.
Read more below the video
Brand after long catch-up race back with Alvarado and Bäckstedt
The Dutch woman did not lose the younger riders immediately, and the tireless Brand did not give up either. She rode Riberolle off the wheel and hung on for ten to eleven seconds. At the front, therefore, they could not look at each other, and so Bäckstedt gave it a whack on lap four of the five. However, a bike change by the British rider allowed Alvarado to create a nice gap.
Bäckstedt deflected the attack, but Bentveld's momentum faded due to this acceleration. Brand caught up with her compatriot and moved up to third place. At this stage, she showcased enormous power because, in one fell swoop, she passed Alvarado and Bäckstedt. And so we suddenly had three women who went into the last phase still fighting for the win. Bentveld was not in the game anymore.
Believe it or not, after four laps of chasing, Brand still had some fuel to push in the final lap. Alvarado could follow for a while but broke under the massive pace of her competitor. In the final minutes, Brand broke away from her pursuers, with Bäckstedt finishing second to Alvarado after pushing and pulling. This also makes Brand the new leader in the Superprestige ranking.
Results Superprestige cross Gullegem - elite women 2025
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
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Latest Comments
- This was very informative! Luiz Antonio Duarte Ferreiraluizantonioduarteferreira02-01-2025
- Well explained, thanks for the clarity! Daniel DantasDanieldantas20-12-2024
- This is the kind of 'news' that belongs in a cheap tabloid. No matter how boring the offseason gets, nobody wants to read this.
santiagobenites19-12-2024 - I wish we could have seen him try. He'd absolutely get dropped before Pogi overtakes his domestiquesVeganpotter10-12-2024
- Talk is cheap! Next year barring crashes with a healthy team... all well be on track! Some need to talk to make a headline!mootman27-11-2024
- I do not see this event listed on HBO Max Sports Online? Can anyone confirm? Thanks!
MrYuck23-11-2024 - It seemed that he was focusing forward at the time of the crash, after seeing a quick video snippet. But one thing I think he should focus on more intently is breaking a bad habit he has, right now. And that is his constant looking over his shoulders. He does that so much, that I am very sure it is not good for him. Simply watch videos of the greats of CX and you will see very little of that constant looking over their shoulders. That is a behavior that betrays a bit of insecurity on his part. He shouldn't be so concerned, incessantly, about what is over his shoulder. He needn't worry they didn't all disappear. He neds to keep his focus more ahead of himself, and he needs to pay a bit more attention to himself, in a confident manner. It is very frustrating to watch, because it is apparent that he has a lot of potential, and is in much better shape thwan many of his competitors, but the mental game needs to be sharpened more, because that part of strategy plays a huge part in the final results
reemmo022-11-2024 - hahahaha love this shit! I didnt even watched the race, but reading all the gossip articles of how stupid this is!Zatoichi19-11-2024
- Van Aert is really handsome. He can influence me all day! Ditto for Philipsen. Why do you think many of us love cycling?: to see heroic attempts at climbing mountains at high altitudes or to watch speedsters sprint for the finish line or to watch a human being ride at break neck speed down a tricky descent? No, it's all about their lean physiques and muscular legs. (apologies for objectifying these dedicated and amazing athletes).BarwonHeadsUp25-10-2024
- It is unfortunate that the author can't feel the joy that Pogacar brings to the sport and his fans who are legion and I for one feel lucky to have watched such a memorable performance and historic season From the Strada until yesterday with multiple wins in stages in both tours and beyond dominance in the World's. He is proud to wear the Rainbow stripes, shows his leadership to protect his fellows and is as courteous and sportsman-like as the sport allows. He goes early to not have to respond to each attack as all the rest would make him do it. Any racer who could would do the same. Don't "grow tired" of greatness as it is always fleeting.ccrider13-10-2024