Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek) powered to victory within the nighttime Superprestige spherical in Diegem on Monday, surging away from Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado on the penultimate lap.
Charging by way of lapped riders, Brand by no means appeared again on the ultimate journey across the artificially lit circuit. Alvarado completed second whereas Inge van der Heijden (Crelan-Corendon) overcame a late mechanical to carry onto the ultimate podium spot.
Alvarado held onto the lead within the Superprestige standings by a single level over Brand.
It’s Brand’s first win for the reason that Dublin World Cup, after eight podium finishes she was happy to lastly get the higher of her rivals.
“It means quite a bit – each race I’m aiming to win however many occasions they know find out how to beat me,” Brand stated. “Today I felt actually sturdy and I’m very pleased I may take the win.”
Leonie Bentveld (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) bought gap shot as a crash took down a bunch of backmarkers within the almost 100-rider area. Before the tip of the primary lap, Brand, French champion Hélène Clauzel, Alvarado and Bentveld had a small hole.
They had been joined by Inge van der Heijden (Crelan-Corendon) as Belgian champion Sanne Cant led one other group of chasers together with Anna Kay, who made a powerful cross within the off-camber part, using previous dozens of riders who took a much less optimum line.
Before the tip of the second lap, Alvarado and Van der Heijden established a spot, and Brand scrambled throughout, leaving Bentveld and Cant chasing as a lightweight rain started to fall, making the already chilly climate extra brutal.
Van der Heijden, so sturdy within the sand, misplaced contact with Brand and Alvarado and was 5 seconds behind on the finish of the third lap however she persevered and caught again as much as the leaders for a second on the following lap.
An assault by Alvarado despatched Van der Heijden out the again once more and put Brand into issue with three laps to go, however the Dutch champion held sturdy after which launched an assault of her personal with two to go.
This time, Alvarado was the one put into the harm field and he or she could not chase down her compatriot.
Van der Heijden, stopped on the course to repair a jammed chain, recovered in time to take third, whereas Bentveld completed fourth.
An emotional Cant waved to the group who despatched up an enormous cheer for the retiring rider whereas ending in fifth.
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