Cyclo-Cross European Championships 2026 [FULL RACE] (ladies)

November 7, 2026

UEC Cyclo-Cross European Championships 2026 (CC) WE – Zeddam, Netherlands 🇳🇱

UEC Cyclo-Cross European Championships is a UCI-sanctioned continental cyclocross championship, featuring national teams competing on compact circuits over multiple laps. Courses typically measure around 2.5–3.5 km and combine grass fields, muddy tracks, woodland paths, sand sections and paved connectors. Short, steep climbs, off-camber slopes, tight corners, artificial barriers and steep descents create frequent changes of rhythm and demand precise bike handling. Gradients can reach 10–20% on short ramps, while surface conditions vary considerably with weather, ranging from firm grass and dry sand to deep mud and slippery ruts. Fast starts make positioning essential before riders enter the narrower technical sections, where congestion and poor line choice can quickly create gaps. Repeated accelerations, dismounts and remounts place considerable demands on power and coordination. As the laps accumulate, fatigue increases and the field gradually becomes selective. Finishes can be decided by a solo attack, technical errors or a sprint between a small group.

World champion Lucinda Brand (Netherlands) claimed the elite women’s title after Marie Schreiber was disqualified at the UEC European Cyclo-cross championships in Zeddam on Saturday.

Brand and Schreiber came to the line together in a particularly closely fought sprint after a thrilling three-way battle that also involved Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Netherlands).

The Luxembourg rider crossed the finish line in first place and was briefly announced as the winner. But a subsequent decision by the jury, relating to an irregularity in the final sprint, altered the order of finish.

The European champion’s jersey was therefore awarded to Brand, who adds another prestigious victory to her list of achievements, ahead of Schreiber. Alvarado finished third despite her crash in the final stretch.

Schreiber put in her characteristic lightning-fast start to take an early lead, and her strength on the gruelling stair climb made life difficult for the stacked Dutch side, who were finally able to close her down on lap three. They could not shake her entirely, though, and it all came down to a final sprint for the line across the long uphill start/finish straight.

Brand came off Schreiber’s wheel and fought shoulder-to-shoulder with the younger rider all the way to the line, with the pair appearing to cross the line side by side.

How it happened
The women’s elite race was the final race of three on day one of the UEC European Cyclo-cross championships, with conditions a little more slippery than they had been earlier in the day, and conditions dry but cloudy.

Hélène Clauzel of France pushed to the front of the pack on the lengthy start/finish straight, along with Schreiber, as the field stretched out on the first lap.

Schreiber impressed on the first climb of the gruelling 99-step staircase, opening a remarkable 13-second gap as the first lap unfolded, with the rest of the field desperately giving chase. Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado was the nearest challenger as the second lap began, leading the chase for the sizeable Netherlands squad, with a bigger group another eight seconds behind.

Resplendent in the rainbow bands but seeking her second European title, reigning world champion Brand attacked on lap two to try and bridge to her compatriot. Brand did not look comfortable on the steps, however, and Schreiber was able to maintain her lead as the chasing pair of Dutchwomen fought to join forces. They finally united towards the end of lap two, but Schreiber took a commanding lead of 14 seconds into lap three as Brand appeared to be dissatisfied with Alvarado’s work rate, seeds of discontent once again visible within the Dutch team.

Brand made the difference on lap three, however, pushing the pace to close down Schreiber, with the gap coming down to ten seconds. Brand attacked her teammate Alvarado, but she wasn’t able to shake her, and she encountered trouble just after that, sliding out on a corner and hitting the ground, leaving Alvarado to chase down Schreiber alone.

Alvarado closed Schreiber down at the foot of the stairs, but a stumble near the top allowed Schreiber to go clear once again, but not for long – Alvarado finally bridged the gap to form a leading duo. Behind them, Brand had quickly remounted and pursued the leading pair, using her power over the long rising start/finish straight to finally join up with the leaders.

Alvarado led the charge on lap five, making life difficult for Schreiber, who fell back until she was able to re-establish her place within the group with another strong stair climb. There was nothing to separate the trio heading into the penultimate lap, and Brand turned the screw, doing everything in her power to try and shift the stubborn Schreiber from her wheel, as Alvarado began to slip away from the head of the race.

It would all come down to the final lap. Crossing the line, the trio were once again locked together, and for the final time on the stairs Schreiber was able to sneak through the two Dutchwomen to retake the lead and set up a thrilling final section of the race. Alvarado slipped and crashed shortly after, taking herself out of the running for gold and looking to be in some discomfort with a hand injury.

Heading into the sprint, everything appeared to point to Brand; Schreiber had the front position, and she opened up her sprint first, but Brand wasn’t able to come through, the two battling shoulder to shoulder all the way to the line, with neither rider celebrating as it was unclear who had clinched the win.

Results :

Pos	Rider	Age	Team	Time
1	BRAND Lucinda	37	BALOISE VERZEKERINGEN – HET POETSBUREAU LIONS	51:37
2	SCHREIBER Marie	23		”
3	ALVARADO Ceylin Del Carmen	28	FENIX – PREMIER TECH	0:17
4	VAN DER HEIJDEN Inge	27	CRELAN – CORENDON	0:57
5	BETSEMA Denise	33	DE CEUSTER BOUWKRANEN	1:00
6	BAKKER Manon	27		1:02
7	ZEMANOVÁ Kristyna	23	CRELAN – CORENDON	1:16
8	CLAUZEL Hélène	28	777TV CX TEAM	1:20
9	VAN ALPHEN Aniek	27	777TV CX TEAM	”
10	BRAMATI Lucia	23	FAS AIRPORT SERVICES – GUERCIOTTI	”
11	BENTVELD Leonie	22	PAUWELS SAUZEN – ALTEZ INDUSTRIEBOUW	1:28
12	FOUQUENET Amandine	25	PAUWELS SAUZEN – ALTEZ INDUSTRIEBOUW	1:54
13	VAN EMPEL Fem	24	SPECIALIZED TMRW	2:02
14	CASASOLA Sara	27	CRELAN – CORENDON	2:04
15	BORELLO Carlotta	24		2:11
16	SÁ SANTOS Ana Mafalda	24		2:12
17	BROUWERS Julie	24	CHARLES LIÉGEOIS CX TEAM	2:38
18	GARIBOLDI Rebecca	30	DE CEUSTER BOUWKRANEN	2:48
19	DURAFFOURG Lauriane	24		3:03
20	FRANCK Alicia	32		3:18
21	RODRIGUEZ REVERT Sofia	27	NESTA – MMR CX TEAM	3:26
22	HLADIKOVÁ Katerina	22	BRILON RACING TEAM MB	3:30
23	KRAHL Judith	25		4:06
24	VERVLOET Sterre	23	CHARLES LIÉGEOIS CX TEAM	4:24
25	GONZALEZ BLANCO Lucia	36	NESTA – MMR CX TEAM	4:36
26	CREES Xan	26		4:50
27	ALLIK Ann-Christine	32
DNF	LAFORCE Oda	23