Lucinda Brand took a second consecutive Superprestige win at Merksplas on Saturday, dispatching her rivals to win the Aardbeiencross alone.
The Baloise-Glowi Lions rider, who had five victories to her name before Saturday’s race, attacked on the third lap, gradually building her advantage, with Aniek van Alphen (Seven Racing) taking second place, 10 seconds down.
The fourth round of the Superprestige, the Aardbeiencross at Merksplas, took place on a technical 2.9km course, with Leonie Bentveld (Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw) making the best of her front row start and leading into the first corner. However, it was newly crowned European champion Inge van der Heijden who took the lead and early control of the race.
At the end of the first lap, the Dutch woman was part of a three-woman group, with Bentveld and French champion Amendine Fouquenet (Arkea-B&B Hotels). It was all change on the next circuit though, Fouquenet falling back with Lucinda Brand and Aniek van Alphen joining the two leaders.
Having been forced off the bike in the sand pit on the opening two laps, Brand made it all the way through the third time round, attacking once she was back on the mud. Taking a lead of four seconds at the end of lap three, the former world champion gradually extended her advantage on the fourth lap, taking a further seven seconds out of her rivals, Van Alphen leading the chase alone.
Brand’s advantage stayed the same as she entered the final lap, though behind her the chasers had separated, each riding their own race, Van der Hiejden taking the bell 16 seconds down.
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