Punishing, Mud and Glory at Flandriencross Hamme

 

Lucinda Brand continues to mastered the mud, ruts and all at the Flanderiencross in Hamme, powering to victory. Controlling the race from the opening minute, the Dutch rider kept it going in the lead on the unpredictable course in Belgium. 

The race was the third round of the X20 Bedkamers Trofee, which is decided on cumulative time, and having won the previous two races, Brand is in the lead to ver four minutes ahead of Van der Heijden. This is her seventh victory from nine starts this year, and she has reached a landmark 50th podium in a row. 

British champion Cameron Mason gave Thibau Nys plenty of stress as he battled back with the Belgian champion for a hard-earned second place in Hamme. Mason refused to surrender and challenged Nys through the final techinical sectors after an outstanding ride that cemented his continued cyclocross rise. Nys takes his first win the Belgian tricolour, following a near-miss at the European Championships and a rough outing in Merksplas.