Lucinda Brand felt that she had already been beaten by Dutch compatriot Fem Van Empel coming into the final section of the elite women’s race at the Cyclo-cross World Championships.
The 35-year-old saw her rival respond to a penultimate lap attack and come back into her wheel for the final moments. A mistake on the final mud mound slowed Brand and Van Empel sprinted up the tarmac finish to take gold.
"I’ve got mixed feelings," said Brand. "We were both strong and the same level more or less.
"I knew that even though Fem might have been doing a little less in her last week, I just knew she was going to be here today. I knew it was going to be very difficult to beat her. And in that respect, I think I just did very well."
Brand launched several attacks while Van Empel was taking a bike change as she felt that part of the course was the fastest. The Baloise Glowi Lions rider pulled out a gap of several seconds coming into the last lap, only for Van Empel to claw her way back.
"I tried a few times when she changed [bikes] to at least put the pressure on, because I knew on that side it was a bit faster, so then you create a little gap," added Brand.
"[On the penultimate lap] I really could keep a gap, but she could pull me back so I knew that it was going to be very difficult to still find a moment to pull it my way.
"I was already a bit tired anyway, just before going into the last round of course. After half a lap, she came back, so I tried to give myself a little breath."
Brand highlighted a last-lap incident which saw Van Empel come inside her compatriot on a descent to take the lead after the pair fought shoulder-to-shoulder in the closing stages.
However, she felt that Van Empel would have been quicker up the final finishing straight regardless.
"I was just trying to go to the sloping side, only then she drives me very skilfully into the fence, so to speak," she said.
"Usually I can convert that into positive activity, to stir up something again. But this time it didn't work and I couldn't get past it anymore. I can't convert to another gear shift. My legs were gone of course. We had physically tested each other.
"I think it wasn't necessary because, probably how it would have gone in the final. I was already beaten before the asphalt anyway. I think the difference was made already, of course. If I would have done it perfectly, then I would still have had a chance.
"My legs were already also tired and normally anyway, when you go with her to the line, she's way faster than I am. In normal sprints, she would always beat me."
Looking ahead to the road season
As a staggeringly consistent cyclocross season for Brand comes towards its end after Worlds, the Dutch veteran began to look ahead to another road season with Lidl-Trek in 2025.
Brand finished third in Paris-Roubaix Femmes three years ago and will again be targeting the Classics this Spring, starting her road campaign at the revived women's Milan-San-Remo on March 22.
"I will finish the 'cross season until the end," said Brand who leads all of the World Cup, the Superprestige and X20 Trofee series in Belgium.
"I’ll have a short break and then you will find me back in Milan-San Remo. I will do the whole Spring then. I don't know what to expect [at MSR]. We will see. It's my first race on the road, so I’ll just ride for the team there.
"For the for the Spring part, it's Flanders and Roubaix, where I want to be good. That is also why I need to keep going training and not go on a long holiday.
"Then we will work towards some stage races and of course we have our main goal in the Summer with the Tour de France Femmes. May will be without any races, so then I will have some time for myself."
Brand picked up her ninth Cyclo-cross World Championship medal in Liévin and plans to continue riding a packed calendar from hereon out in 2025.
"I like it, two different worlds and all different people around you, it doesn't feel the same at all," she added.
"It’s not always easy and you need to keep balancing yourself. I have enough people who watch me on that side. It's nice to do a bit of both. As long as your heart is there then your body will follow, that is the most important."
