Lucinda Brand felt that she had already been beaten by Dutch compatriot Fem Van Empel coming into the final section of the elite women’s race at the Cyclo-cross World Championships.
The 35-year-old saw her rival respond to a penultimate lap attack and come back into her wheel for the final moments. A mistake on the final mud mound slowed Brand and Van Empel sprinted up the tarmac finish to take gold.
