Yesterday Lucinda Brand won the Elite Women’s race at the Cyclocross World Championships after dominating the cyclocross season in Europe.  It was a well-derserved victory.  And you see the joy …

Cyclocross is a winter version of cycling, mostly on dirt trails that go to mud after a rain.  It’s intense … and exciting!

From 2023 to 2025, there was another World Champion – Fem van Empel.  A few months ago, Fem left the world of cycling and talked openly about her burnout:

My own perfectionism caused me to lose myself as a person, so that I only focused on what I was good at.

I was more of an athlete than a person.  And now I know: I am more than just Fem the cyclist.

Giving an opinion is actually the easiest thing you can do.  I don’t think many people realise what that can do to a young athlete or anyone else.

Fresh from her victory, Lucinda had this to say:

I hope Fem finds herself again and that she finds joy in the things she does.  I don’t really follow her, but I saw on social media that she’s been on some nice trips.  I think that’s very good.  That she’s doing things she enjoys again.  Things she truly loves.  That she goes to bed feeling like she’s had a wonderful day.  It doesn’t matter what that is.  If she finds the joy in cycling again, that would be great.  If she doesn’t return to cycling, that’s not a problem either.  She’s already had a fantastic career as a cyclist.  Cycling isn’t the most important thing in life.  Being happy is much more important. 

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And there you have it …

Everything we need to know about Lucinda Brand