Marie Schreiber crossed the line in first place in Zeddam, but did not win the European cyclocross title. After reviewing the final sprint, the jury relegated her to second place: Lucinda Brand took gold, while Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado completed the podium. The difference between the finishing order and the official classification explains the result — without diminishing the race the Luxembourger rode.
First across the line, second in the standings
On 7 November, after seven laps, Schreiber crossed the line ahead of Brand. Her finishing time was given as 51 min 37 s. But the finishing order is not necessarily the final classification: the jury can penalise a move deemed to contravene the rules and alter the places awarded.
That is what happened in the sprint between the two riders. According to RTL’s report, the jury judged that Schreiber had made an irregular move. The Dutch media outlet WielerFlits says she allegedly deviated from her line. It is therefore important to distinguish the established fact — Schreiber was relegated — from the description of her line reported in the accounts.
The final result awards the title to Brand, silver to Schreiber and bronze to Alvarado. The latter finished 17 seconds behind, according to RTL. Schreiber was therefore not disqualified from the race: her position was changed after the finish, and she is listed second in the championship.
A race initially shaped by Schreiber
The jury’s decision does not sum up the sporting contest. Schreiber made a fast start and found herself alone at the front from the first lap. RTL reports that she then had a 13-second lead. The circuit was nearly three kilometres long, and the riders completed seven laps.
Behind her, Brand and Alvarado rode together and gradually closed the gap. The race then changed shape: Brand lost contact after a fall, then Alvarado caught Schreiber. Brand also rejoined the two riders. In the final laps, the trio battled for the lead, with a roughly one-minute advantage over the rider in fourth, still according to RTL’s report.
On the seventh lap, a fall dropped Alvarado behind. The title was then contested between Schreiber and Brand. Schreiber crossed the line first at the end of their sprint, but the classification established by the jury reversed the top two places.
A course Schreiber had prepared for
The event was about more than a finishing straight. In its preview of the race the day before, RTL Today described a circuit of around three kilometres, one of whose notable features was a 99-step staircase, restored for these European Championships. The Zeddam venue had already hosted the World Championships in 2006. This feature of the course helps explain the role of sections ridden on foot in a competition that is, nevertheless, cycling.
In that preview, Schreiber said she liked the long staircase and had watched videos of past Zeddam races to prepare for the event. RTL also highlighted her consistency: as of 6 November, she had finished on the podium in every race she had competed in during the season. The outlet cited, in particular, her victory in Meulebeke, Belgium, in mid-October. These details give a sense of her form ahead of the European Championships; they do not turn a favourite into a predetermined winner. On the course, her long spell at the front ultimately led to a duel with Brand.
A silver medal Schreiber did not receive on the podium
Schreiber did not take part in the medal ceremony. RTL says she boycotted the podium in protest at the decision. WielerFlits reports that only Brand and Alvarado were present at the ceremony. These facts confirm her absence, but do not allow us to go further into her personal reasons or any subsequent appeal.
Her absence from the ceremony does not change the reported classification: Brand is champion, Schreiber second.
The 2026 European Championships take place in Zeddam, the Netherlands, on 7 and 8 November, according to the Union Européenne de Cyclisme. In the elite women’s event, the result to note is therefore the one after reclassification: Brand takes gold, Schreiber silver, Alvarado bronze. Schreiber crossing the line first remains a fact of the race; the title, however, goes to Brand.
References
- Major disappointment in cyclocross: Marie Schreiber reclassified in 2nd place, European title eludes her — RTL
- 2026 cyclocross European Championships in Zeddam: Marie Schreiber does not attend podium ceremony after relegation — WielerFlits
- UEC 2026 European Cyclo-cross Championships — Union Européenne de Cyclisme
Photograph: Hoebele — Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 4.0.
