Arizona Tribune - Marie Schreiber Reflects on European Championships Demotion

One day after crossing the finish line first at the Cyclocross European Championships in Zeddam, Luxembourg’s Marie Schreiber reflected on the race and the subsequent decision to demote her to second place during an interview on RTL’s Sport Journal.

Schreiber initially appeared to secure the title for herself and Luxembourg at Saturday’s event. However, following a review of her final sprint maneuver, officials reclassified her result, awarding the victory to Dutch rider Lucinda Brand.

In the studio with RTL’s Jeff Kettenmeyer, Schreiber stated she was "actually doing quite well" but admitted that watching footage of the event again triggered a surge of emotions. She explained that her doubts began when she was required to wait for her post-race interview. During this delay, she learned that a final decision from the race commissaires was still pending.

Both Schreiber and Brand were summoned before the race jury. Schreiber described the encounter as frustrating, noting she felt she was not given the opportunity to fully explain her side of the incident. She recalled that Brand told officials she would not have been able to overtake Schreiber and considered the sprint fair. According to Schreiber, Brand did not file an official protest, yet the head commissaire upheld the decision to demote Schreiber.

The Luxembourg Cycling Federation filed a protest regarding the ruling. However, Schreiber expressed uncertainty about whether this action would have any effect on the outcome.

Despite the controversy, Schreiber insisted that her athletic performance should not be overlooked. "In my opinion, this was the best race I have ever ridden," she told RTL. She added that she felt strong from the start of the competition and believed that competing for victory at this level provides her with significant confidence for the future.

Looking ahead, Schreiber said she can be proud of what she has achieved, emphasizing that her sporting effort remains a point of pride regardless of the final classification.

H.Romero--AT