At first, Hungarian Blanca Fez set the pace right from the start. With her 20 years of age, she would have also taken part in the European Championship of Promises, but Vas chose to participate in the so-called elite competition. She led the way with five Dutch riders in her wake, including European champion Céline del Carmen Alvarado and branding in her rainbow jersey.

For example, the Six headed to the physical publication for the first time. But where all of its competitors have switched to a clean, new bike, the brand has chosen to continue. For example, I started with a small introduction to the only running lane of the track that was planned in the old landfill at Vuil Afvoer Maatschappij, VAM for short. When I jumped back on the saddle after going up, Brand was a few seconds ahead of the rest of the original leading group. I thought: I shouldn’t leave that behind. He was just being careful not to lose focus.

Although very early in the water and wind racing, the experienced cyclocross racer did not concede her advantage. Especially because Vas had to try to track down the brand without any support. The four Dutch riders, three later, at her wheel, had no intention of helping the lone Hungarian in Fez’ quest for their compatriot. Fez may not have become the European champion, but despite that Dutch opposition by 56 seconds, he won the silver medal after seven rounds in just over three quarters of an hour.

And the Dutch Yara Castelen ranked third. Alvarado came fourth, Denis Betsima finished fifth, and Anne-Marie confirmed the Netherlands’ worst dominance of seventh, two and a half minutes ahead of Brand. The significant differences indicate that the completely new circuit on the VAM mount can be called selective.

For the brand, this is the first time it has become the European champion. In Rosmalen, she finished third last year and twice before finishing second in the European Championships. The brand became the world champion in cyclocross for the first time in its career in Ostend last year. “One day the goal was to get the Dutch, European and world championships at my fingertips,” Brand laughed immediately after her victory. Winning at home is “always an extra fun,” she said. “It was also the first championship where we could ride with the crowd again. It seemed like the others had a problem on the course, but it went perfectly for me today.