Lucinda Brand wins the world cup round in Terralba

Lucinda Brand once again showcased her class under the Italian sun. In Terralba, she claimed her second World Cup victory of the season, the twenty-second of her career. After a controlled yet devastating five-lap solo effort, she stepped onto the top step of the podium ahead of Aniek van Alphen and Shirin van Anrooij.

There was no sign of the usual post-training-camp dip for Lucinda Brand. On the contrary: the combination of Mediterranean sunshine and striking umbrella pines seemed to energise her even more. In the first sandy section, she immediately put down the power, quickly forming a lead group with Van Alphen, Casasola and Bentveld.

Not much later, the former world and Dutch champion accelerated again. The group completely broke apart, while World Cup leader Van Alphen struggled to find her rhythm and had to let Brand go. Van Anrooij managed to bridge across from behind to join Van Alphen. Alvarado, feeling slightly ill, had already abandoned the race by then.

By the end of the second lap, it was all but clear: the fight for the day’s victory was over. In Terralba, Brand was riding at an unmatched level and steadily extended her lead. Emotional as she crossed the line, she secured her fifth win in a row. She celebrated with a quick dive into the Mediterranean Sea.

Behind her, a nice battle unfolded between a rejuvenated Van Anrooij and Van Alphen. The latter eventually prevailed, finishing second and retaining a ten-point lead over Brand in the World Cup standings.