Brand dominates in Niel

The third race of the Telenet Superprestige was a perfect fit for Lucinda Brand (Baloise Glowi Lions). Newly crowned European Champion Inge van der Heijden (Crelan–Corendon) finished second, ahead of Aniek van Alphen (Seven Racing).

It was European Champion Van der Heijden who led the peloton during the first passage through the sand, immediately putting her jersey in the spotlight with a fast start. Aniek van Alphen also showed she was in good form. Fouquenet, who got a golden opportunity to take the lead in the standings due to the absence of Casasola and Riberolle, was also visible at the front.

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Brand wasted no time, taking over from Van der Heijden in the first lap and powering along the course by the Rupel. Van Alphen and Clauzel followed in third and fourth, but quickly lost ground.

The top three soon seemed decided. Van der Heijden tried to keep up, but could no longer match Brand’s pace. Behind them, there were numerous position changes that were especially important for the standings.

A flawless race for Lucinda Brand earned her a fourth victory in Niel, the same place where she claimed her very first Superprestige win in 2019. With her second-place finish, Inge van der Heijden took over the top spot in the standings from teammate Casasola. Aniek van Alphen also made a good gain in the rankings thanks to her third-place finish.