Lucinda Brand (Baloise Verzekeringen–Het Poetsbureau Lions) has been cleared to race the 2026 Cyclo-cross World Championships in Hulst on January 31 after a mild concussion and a recent calf injury disrupted her preparation, team manager Sven Nys confirmed.
Nys revealed to Sporza that Brand suffered "splitting headaches" for a full week following a heavy crash in the sand pit at the Zonhoven World Cup on January 4. The incident, which ended her 13-race winning streak, required treatment from an osteopath for neck trauma and left her body "completely upset," Brand said.
At the Dutch National Championships on January 11, Brand finished third behind Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado and Puck Pieterse. She reported having "nothing in the legs" during the race.
A two-week training camp in Spain followed, focusing on volume and recovery rather than high-intensity efforts. Brand won the Benidorm World Cup on January 18, launching a solo attack to take the victory and her fourth overall World Cup title, a new record.
"It was the first time since Zonhoven that I felt I had my old level back," Brand said after Benidorm.
Brand finished 10th at Maasmechelen on January 24, sustaining a minor calf knock during the race. She subsequently withdrew from the Hoogerheide World Cup on January 25 to prioritise freshness before the Worlds.
Nys described her recent results as a "logical dip" following the heavy training block in Spain. "There are no signals that Lucinda will not be okay at the World Championships," he said. "All indicators for Hulst are okay."
The 3.24-kilometre Hulst course features 40 metres of elevation gain, eight bridges and steep climbs. Predicted poor weather conditions are expected to favour Brand's power-based riding style, according to Nys. In an interview with Wielerflits on Thursday, though, Brand explained that she did not see herself as a favourite.
Brand will face Alvarado and Pieterse, both of whom have beaten her since Zonhoven.
Read our guide on how to Watch the UCI Cyclocross World Championships
Cover image credit: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
