Lucinda Brand was again untouchable in Sardinia. Her fifth victory in a row, her 51st consecutive podium finish – figures that underline how impressive her season is going. But once she crossed the finish line, it wasn’t the joy that took over. Fire broke out, visible and audible. The tears were not because of the victory, but because of what is going on at home.
She did not want to share what exactly is going on. “But it’s not ideal,” she said, her voice breaking. Emotions were high, as if the heaviness of the home situation and the intensity of the match were weighing down on her shoulders. It didn’t make the victory any less great, but it did make it different: raw, honest, human.
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Riding solo with doubts in mind
Brand spoke remarkably openly about the race itself. She noticed early on that Aniek van Alphen got stuck on the swampy part and decided to speed up. That immediately created a divide — and a moment of doubt. “When I came alone, I thought: this is quite a challenge.”
Because driving solo sounds glamorous, but is above all debilitating. It requires constant focus, a sense of rhythm, and confidence that you don’t give too much, but also not too little. “It’s not easy driving alone,” she admitted. Yet she received unexpected support in the background: Shirin van Anrooij came on strong and calmed the chase, something that worked out in Brand’s favor.
The feeling was good, she said. The body did what it had to do, the head held firm despite the worries that still haunted it.
Looking ahead to Namur
Brand ended her response with a preview of the next cross. “The course today is different than in Namur, but I’m looking forward to it.” Namur suits her – but the context in which she now performs makes every race unpredictable.
In Sardinia she again showed her class, but especially her vulnerability. Behind the rider who wins everything, there is a person who has something to carry at home. The fact that she continues to dominate despite this makes her achievements even more impressive.
