Manon Bakker conquers the Niel mud after Lucinda Brand is forced to leave the race after just 5 minutes

Four days after the much-discussed European Cyclocross Championships—which Brand ultimately won—some of the women were back at the starting line in Niel. Brand was there, unlike second-place finisher Marie Schreiber (on a break) and Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado, who had injured her thumb during the European Championships.

On the course in Niel, which had been affected by heavy rainfall, Amandine Fouquenet got off to the best start. Brand set off in pursuit, but on a sloping section she made a small mistake and appeared to trip over her own feet.

Brand did get back on her bike, but she quickly realised it wasn't going to work out. The Dutch rider tried to ride through the pain for a little while, but soon shook her head in the negative.

With a look of pain and sadness on her face, she dismounted, and just like that, the cross-country race in Niel lost its top favorite in a matter of seconds. Hopefully the injury isn’t too serious, and we won’t be without her for too long this winter.

Unsurprisingly, there was no holding back at the front. Bakker took over from Fouquenet, knowing that her long legs would serve her well on the course in Niel. The Dutch runner, who had already been performing well at the European Championships, quickly built a 20-second lead. Aniek van Alphen led the chase.

During the third lap, Leonie Bentveld and Denise Betsema set out in pursuit of the lone leader, while Italy’s Sara Casasola was also finding her rhythm in the race. Meanwhile, Bakker kept pushing hard and made the most of her strong running ability, ensuring that the victory for the runner from Flevoland was never in doubt.

1. Manon Bakker
2. Sara Casasola
3. Denise Betsema