Lucinda Brand (Netherlands), Aubin Sparfel (France) and Lentel Huys (Belgium) are the first three continental champions to be crowned in Zeddam, where the opening day of the 2026 UEC Cyclo-Cross European Championships took place today.
In the Women’s Elite event, world champion Lucinda Brand claimed the title following a race in which three riders broke away from the pack in the opening laps. Luxembourg’s Marie Schreiber set a fast pace from the start, managing to break away alongside the Dutch riders Brand and Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado. The three riders gradually extended their lead over the chasing pack, finding themselves alone at the front to battle it out for the European jersey.
The battle remained open right up until the final moments, when a fall slowed Alvarado, leaving Schreiber and Brand to contest the victory in a particularly closely fought sprint. The Luxembourg rider crossed the finish line in first place, 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 Lucinda Brand, who adds another prestigious victory to her list of achievements, ahead of Marie Schreiber and Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado, who finished third despite her crash in the final stretch.
It was a very closely fought and spectacular race in the Men’s Under-23 category too, which was decided in a thrilling sprint that saw France’s Aubin Sparfel take the win.
The race featured a tight battle for the title, which remained undecided right up to the final metres, between riders from Belgium, Italy and France. On the final straight, Sparfel proved the fastest, finishing ahead of the Belgians Giel Lejeune and Viktor Vandenberghe.
For the 20-year-old Frenchman, who was already Junior European Champion at Pontchâteau in 2023, this is the second continental title of his career.
The Women’s Junior race, dominated by the Belgian Lentel Huys, opened the day’s programme. The 16-year-old athlete from Beerse took the lead from the very start, quickly opening up a gap behind her and leading a long solo breakaway all the way to the finish line.
An impressive performance that saw her claim the first continental title awarded at this year’s event, ahead of Switzerland’s Shana Huber, who finished second, 9 seconds behind, and the Netherlands’ Nynke Jochems, who came third, 17 seconds behind.
The 2026 UEC Cyclo-Cross European Championships will continue tomorrow, Sunday 8 November, with the final three continental titles to be decided in the Men’s Juniors, Women’s Under-23 and Men’s Elite categories.
