Brand is the best in Merksplas as well, after her win in Niel

A few days after her first victory in the Telenet Superprestige of the season in Niel, Lucinda Brand has now also won the round in Merksplas. She rode half the race alone in the lead and finished ahead of Aniek van Alphen and Inge van der Heijden.

Lucinda Brand (Baloise Glowi Lions) was the big favourite at the start in Merksplas. Her main rivals were Inge van der Heijden (Crelan-Corendon) and Aniek van Alphen (Seven Racing), respectively first and second in the standings before the start. Yet it was Amandine Fouquenet (Arkea-B&B Hotels Woman) who entered the fields first, with Leonie Bentveld (Pauwels Sauzen – Altez Industriebouw CT) on her wheel.

Inge van der Heijden set the pace during the opening laps and, together with Bentveld, managed to build a small gap. Brand switched to a Rhino front tyre in the second lap, which proved to be a good choice. Not long after, she joined the leading duo.

Aniek van Alphen fought consistently during the first half of the race to stay in the leaders’ slipstream. At the start of the third lap, she too made it to the front. Van Alphen was the only rider to jump the planks, allowing her to take control. It didn’t last long, though, as Brand felt her moment had come at the end of the third lap.

The Baloise Glowi Lions rider quickly gained a small lead, but extending it was not easy. A better passage through the sandpit than Inge van der Heijden gave her a more comfortable advantage of 11 seconds at the end of the fourth lap.

After a crash by Van der Heijden, Van Alphen was left alone in the chase. The podium places were thus decided. Brand could celebrate ahead of Van Alphen and Van der Heijden, who remains the leader in the overall standings but sees her advantage over Van Alphen shrink by one point.