Lucinda Brand takes European cyclocross title after Marie Schreiber penalty

Lucinda Brand secured the elite women’s European cyclo-cross title in Zeddam, Netherlands, on November 7, 2026, after race jury officials relegated initial winner Marie Schreiber for an irregularity during the final sprint.

How the Sprint Decision Unfolded

Neither rider raised a hand in victory as they crossed the line together after seven laps, with both awarded a finishing time of 51:37, cyclingnews reported. Luxembourg’s Marie Schreiber was initially declared the winner of the race. Following a lengthy delay and review, the jury penalized Schreiber for deviating from her line while attempting to hold off Brand along the barriers on the long uphill start/finish straight. Procyclinguk noted that Schreiber launched her sprint from distance after leading into the final straight, leaving Brand to pull alongside in a near-photofinish before the infraction ruling reshuffled the podium.

It’s another title. A bit of a strange title, I have to admit, Brand told media including Wielerflits after the race. She started a bit earlier than I did. I tried to get past her and pulled up alongside her. And, well, the jury made their decision. I can’t really say anything more about it. Every title is wonderful, but this one feels a bit different.

Schreiber and Alvarado Break Away on the 99-Step Staircase

The decisive selection formed early when Brand, Schreiber, and Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado broke away from the pack during the opening laps. Schreiber immediately disrupted the tactical control of the Dutch team by setting an aggressive tempo from the start. Vcpcycling reported that Schreiber opened a 13-second gap over Alvarado on the opening lap, forcing the chasing group, which included Brand, to burn matches early to bridge the gap.

Schreiber repeatedly exploited the defining feature of the Zeddam course: a grueling staircase of 99 steps. She consistently negotiated the stairs faster than her rivals, putting pressure on the Dutch riders. The three leaders remained locked together through the middle portion of the race until Alvarado crashed in a right-hand corner on the final lap. Although Alvarado recovered to claim the bronze medal at 17 seconds back, the fall removed her from the final sprint contention.

Brand Matches Her 2021 Title to Secure Second Crown

The revised result grants Brand her second elite European title, matching the blue-and-white jersey she first captured in 2021 in Wijster, Netherlands. Procyclinguk highlighted that the victory adds the continental crown to Brand’s existing rainbow stripes as world champion, marking both titles in a single season. The outcome preserves the Netherlands’ undefeated streak in the elite women’s European championship dating back to 2018, narrowly surviving Schreiber’s aggressive challenge. Behind the top two, defending champion Inge van der Heijden finished fourth at 57 seconds, followed by Denise Betsema in fifth and Manon Bakker in sixth.

Following the jury’s verdict, Schreiber did not attend the official post-race medal ceremony.

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