Canadian champion Maghalie Rochette and compatriot Sidney McGill both finished in the top-20 of Sunday’s opening round of the 2025-2026 UCI CX World Cup in chilly Tabor, Czechia. By beating Sara Casasola to take the win, Lucinda Brand matched Marianne Vos’ record of 51 consecutive CX podiums.
Last season three-round victor Lucinda Brand earned the overall title. Fem van Empel raised her arms at the end of four rounds, Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado took two and Marie Schreiber and Blanka Vas won one. Rafaelle Carrier became the first Canadian to claim a World Cup title, beating a French rider by 12 points for the Junior women’s prize.
The jackets were flying in the last minute before the green light. Marie Schreiber as usual grabbed the hole shot and led into the sand pit. Leonie Bentveld was hard on her heels. Brand took over the lead and was first up the stairs. Brand, Bentveld, European champion Inge van der Heijden and Aniek van Alphen formed the vanguard with Czech Kristýna Zemanová. This quintet finished the first 3.46-km circuit in 9:19. McGill was 16th and Rochette 22nd.
With Manon Bakker and Casasola looking to make a septet at the start of Lap 2, Brand hit the gas in a bid for solitude. Bentveld and van der Heijden were her closest pursuers. Brand hopped on a fresh machine and these two caught up. Casasola and Zemanová were only trailing by three seconds. Rochette was now 18th and McGill 20th.
Casasola and Zemanová made the junction at the beginning of Lap 3 of 5. Van Alphen and Bakker were still in hailing distance. Casasola, Brand and van der Heijden created a gap. Rochette finished the lap in 18th, McGill in 21st.
On the penultimate lap Brand tried to dump her companions but the other two answered all her questions. Rochette crossed the line in 16th, McGill in 23rd.
The bell lap was where Brand really dug in. Van der Heijden slipped back momentarily. Coming off the planks, the Italian accelerated and van der Heijden yo-yoed again. Brand’s efforts would first dislodge van der Heijden and then a slipping Casasola on her way to the line.
The next World Cup round is next Sunday in Flamanville, France.
2025-2026 UCI CX World Cup, Round 1, Czechia
1) Lucinda Brand (The Netherlands/Baloise-Glowi Lions) 45:13
2) Sara Casasola…
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