In her second European race of the season, Canada’s Rafaelle Carrier took 10th on Tuesday. The 2025-2026 Superprestige series resumed at dry, fast Heusden-Zolder, Belgium, and the elite women must have felt relief that Lucinda Brand wasn’t in the house, allowing others liberty to play. After two World Cup podiums and one in the Superprestige, French champion Amandine Fouquenet, looking for a new team after her B&B Hotels squad folded, took a big win in her breakout season.
Earlier in the day in the Junior women’s race, Canada’s 16-year-old Alexa Haviland scored 10th, while compatriot Elly Moore was 11th. Clare Hauber placed 23rd and Claire Mackinnon came 37th.
Preliminaries
The Superprestige was one series that double-round victor Lucinda Brand wasn’t running away with. In fact, Brand was fourth overall after leader Inge van der Heijden, Aniek van Alphen and Fouquenet.
The Canadian contingent was Nico Knoll, Kajka Verkerk, Carrier and Dorothee Perron.
The field headed into a headwind on the motorcar racetrack to start Lap 1. Van der Heijden muscled past Hungarian Kata Blanka Vas, who hasn’t competed much this season. A hill created gaps, and Vas and van der Heijden had company in van Alphen, Marie Schreiber and Fouquenet. Vas, van der Heijden and van Alphen had a slight gap at the line.
Schreiber, Fouquenet, Julie Brouwers, Fleur Moors and Marion Norbert Riberolle all made it back at the start of Lap 2 of 6. Fouquenet grabbed the reins and kept up the pace through the rooty forest. Again, Fouquenet, van Alphen, van der Heijden and Vas distinguished themselves. They slowed down in the headwind at the line and Schreiber made it back.
The quintet kept at it on Lap 3, Fouquenet continuing to be insistent at the front and avoiding the effects of any mistakes behind her. Schreiber was always Tailgunner Charlie. Carrier had raced into 9th.
Finally, Schreiber acted as the locomotive of the short train at the start of Lap 4, a role short-lived before European champion van der Heijden took over. Moors and Riberolle still had hopes of linking up with the quintet. When Vas went to the front, teammate Schreiber tried to sandbag the others. Van Alphen getting caught up on the barriers allowed Vas and van der Heijden a momentary gap. Moors and Riberolle grabbed onto the back. Carrier was…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Canadian Cycling Magazine…