The women’s race at Superprestige Gullegem offered plenty of drama and strategic battles before Lucinda Brand ultimately secured a hard-fought solo victory. The Dutch champion’s win came after a determined effort to claw back a significant deficit early in the race.
The day began with Britain’s Zoe Bäckstedt making a blistering start, diving into the opening lap alongside Leonie Bentveld and Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado. The trio quickly established a lead as Brand found herself trailing in fourth place, eight seconds adrift after the opening lap. Marion Norbert Riberolle and Aniek van Alphen were also in the chase group but were unable to match the pace of the leaders.
On the second lap, Brand attempted to bridge the gap alone, closing in on the leaders, only to lose time again after a slow bike exchange. By the midpoint of the race, Alvarado had taken charge at the front, increasing the tempo and briefly causing splits within the leading trio. Despite this, Brand maintained her ten-second deficit, hovering within striking distance.
The breakthrough came in the fourth lap. Brand steadily reeled in the front group, overtaking the dropped Bentveld before latching onto Bäckstedt and Alvarado. As the bell rang for the final lap, Brand seized her moment. A well-timed surge saw her drop Bäckstedt and Alvarado, whose initial attempts to follow quickly faltered. Brand pressed on, steadily increasing her gap as she powered through the muddy course.
Behind her, the fight for second place intensified. In one of the race’s most dramatic moments, Bäckstedt passed Alvarado during a running section, resulting in a collision. Alvarado pushed back, later explaining, “She passed me and immediately cut across, pushing her bike against me. I didn’t like that and tried to push her back onto her line.” Bäckstedt recovered quickly, overtaking Alvarado in the final sprint to secure second place, with the Dutch rider settling for third.
Brand’s victory not only secured her sixth win of the cyclocross season but also flipped the Superprestige standings. She now leads the series by one point over Alvarado, with the title set to be decided at the final round in Middelkerke on 8th February. Reflecting on her performance, Brand said, “I kept my own lines today and trusted the race would come back together. In the final lap, you leave nothing behind, and that made all the difference.”
Photo Credit: Cor VosWout van Aert triumphs in muddy battle to take his first win of the season
The men’s race at Gullegem featured a thrilling showdown as Wout van Aert claimed his first cyclocross win in 12 months, outlasting Eli Iserbyt in a gripping eight-lap contest. The Belgian three-time world champion showed his strength and tactical awareness, making his move at the perfect time to secure the victory.
Van Aert began on the third row but wasted no time making up ground, quickly joining the lead group of nine riders that included race favourites Laurens Sweeck, Michael Vanthourenhout, and Eli Iserbyt. As the race progressed, the technical course took its toll, gradually reducing the lead group.
By the fourth lap, Van Aert launched a steady acceleration, moving into the lead for the first time. This effort splintered the group further, with only Vanthourenhout able to match his pace initially. However, a small mistake from Van Aert allowed Iserbyt to close the gap, bringing the race’s most decisive battle into focus.
The penultimate lap saw Iserbyt attack aggressively, forcing Van Aert to dig deep to maintain contact. Both riders appeared evenly matched until the final lap, where the race was ultimately decided. On a steep, muddy climb, Iserbyt made a critical error, losing traction and having to dismount. This opened the door for Van Aert, who capitalised on the mistake to ride away for a solo victory.
Photo Credit: Getty“This win came as a surprise to me,” Van Aert admitted afterwards. “On the technical sections, I struggled at times to follow, but I knew the course would eventually start to weigh on everyone. When the chance came in the final lap, I gave everything.”
Iserbyt finished second, while Vanthourenhout completed the podium in third. Superprestige series leader Niels Vandeputte recovered from a slow start to finish fifth, extending his lead over Lars van der Haar, who battled through a dislocated shoulder to finish tenth. With just one round remaining, Vandeputte heads into Middelkerke with a commanding ten-point advantage.
Van Aert’s victory marks a significant step in his return to cyclocross, following a road season disrupted by injury. Looking ahead to tomorrow’s World Cup in Dendermonde, he added, “I’ll give my best again. Today’s win feels good, but there’s still more to come this winter.”
Main photo credit: Getty
