{"id":8949,"date":"2025-12-22T10:19:54","date_gmt":"2025-12-22T09:19:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/uk\/?p=8949"},"modified":"2025-12-22T10:19:54","modified_gmt":"2025-12-22T09:19:54","slug":"van-der-poel-wins-at-namur-on-cyclocross-return-as-brand-just-keeps-rolling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/uk\/2025\/12\/22\/van-der-poel-wins-at-namur-on-cyclocross-return-as-brand-just-keeps-rolling\/","title":{"rendered":"Van der Poel Wins at Namur on Cyclocross Return as Brand Just Keeps Rolling"},"content":{"rendered":"

World champion Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Lucinda Brand (Baloise Glowi Lons) extended their cyclocross winning streaks on Sunday on the difficult and iconic World Cup course of Namur, but in different styles.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Van der Poel, who was riding his first race of the 2025-26 season, uncharacteristically waited until the final lap and an untimely crash by Thibau Nys (Baloise Glowi Lions), to pull away and notch his 12th cyclocross win in a row, and the 25th of his last 26 \u2018cross races, dating back to January 2023. Brand unleashed another long solo ride on the first of seven laps and overcame a late flat tyre to win her sixth race in a row, her 10th of 12 races this season and her 53rd podium finish in succession.<\/p>\n

Van der Poel battles, Nys crashes<\/strong><\/h2>\n

But van der Poel didn\u2019t have it easy, as he was dogged by Nys, Michael \u00a0\u00a0Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen\u2013Altez Industriebouw<\/a>) and Nys\u2019s teammate Lars van der Haar for nearly seven of the nine laps over the difficult course, which featured cobblestones, steep climbs and descents, and deep ruts. In addition, he crashed over his handlebars at the bottom of a descent, but it was on lap four of nine, and he had no trouble catching the lead group.<\/p>\n

Nys was not so lucky as he crashed on a corner on the final lap, just when it appeared that the all-conquering van der Poel might have some stiff competition for a change and that the race might come down to a sprint. But the world champion attacked after Nys hit the deck and was never troubled again. Nys managed to take second, 9 seconds adrift, 2 seconds ahead of Vanthourenhout and 3 seconds in front of van der Haar.<\/p>\n

But it was little consolation, and he pounded his handlebars in frustration when he crossed the line, well aware that he had lost a golden opportunity to dent van der Poel\u2019s cloak of invincibility. This was the beginning of the Dutchman\u2019s campaign to win a record eighth cyclocross world championship, and he is only going to get better as the season progresses. As van der Poel put it, \u201cLast year, I was a bit further along thanks to specific training. This year, we planned that [for] a little later.\u201d Still, Nys increased his lead in the World Cup standings to 110 to 93 for Vanthourenhout and Joris Nieuwenhuis (Ridley Racing).<\/p>\n

Though he registered his fifth victory at Namur, van der Poel was not completely happy. \u201cI tried to wait and see how things developed, but I made too many mistakes in the wheels,\u201d he said afterwards. \u201cSometimes, it\u2019s easier to ride on the front.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked about the crash, he said that it was due to \u201ca small steering error that I could just not correct anymore\u201d and noted, \u201cIt was certainly not the easiest circuit to open my winter on. I had to find my rhythm a bit. I made an early decision to make my move at the end of the race, and I felt quite good at the end.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brand overpowers the field<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In the Elite Women\u2019s race, Lucinda Brand<\/a> just did what she\u2019s been doing this entire season: she overpowered her rivals. She took off midway on lap 1, and at the end of the lap led by 4 seconds over Amandine Fouquenet (Ark\u00e9a\u2013B&B Hotels Women), who was quickest off the starting line, and 10 seconds over Aniek van Alphen (Seven Racing). At the end of lap 3, the lead had ballooned to 28 seconds over van Alphen and 33 seconds over another returnee, Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck), with Fouquenet at 40 seconds.<\/p>\n

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Zobrazit p\u0159\u00edsp\u011bvek na Instagramu<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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P\u0159\u00edsp\u011bvek sd\u00edlen\u00fd Lucinda Brand (@lucinda_brand)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n