'We won't let this go' – Schreiber's coach threatens action over lost European title as even Brand's coach Nys questions UCI ruling

The decision sparked an angry response from her coach Sanne Cant, while even Sven Nys, the team manager of the rider who inherited the gold medal, struggled to understand the punishment.

Schreiber appeared to have settled the race on the road. After entering the finishing straight alongside Brand, the 23-year-old accelerated to victory, with the Dutch rider briefly forced to stop pedalling as Schreiber moved across during the sprint.

Brand initially accepted defeat and was among the first to congratulate her rival. But the celebrations were short lived. Both riders were called to the jury vehicle, where they learned that the result had been reversed. Brand was declared European champion, while Schreiber was relegated to second place.

For Cant, who coaches Schreiber at SD Worx-Protime, the decision was almost impossible to comprehend.

"We are all angry, disappointed and devastated," Cant told Sporza. "It is the most ridiculous decision I have ever heard of. I spent a very long time racing myself, and I have never experienced anything like this."

The former cyclocross world champion questioned whether Schreiber's movement was significant enough to justify taking away a European title.

"If we are going to find a fault in something like this, I think there are plenty of sprints on the road where much worse things happen and nothing is done about it."

Perhaps the most striking reaction came from the other side of the controversy. Sven Nys, whose Baloise-Het Poetsbureau Lions rider Brand ultimately received the European title, admitted that he also had serious doubts about the decision.

Speaking to In de Leiderstrui, Nys explained that Brand herself had initially considered Schreiber the rightful winner.

"Lucinda came straight to me after the finish and said that Schreiber had deserved to win because she was faster in the sprint," Nys explained.

"At that point, you accept the result. But then the jury apparently decides that what happened is enough to relegate her to second place."

Nys was careful not to attack the officials outright, acknowledging that they had access to considerably more footage than he had seen. Nevertheless, his assessment of the incident was remarkably close to Cant's.

"We are going to remain very calm about this and not make too much noise, because I don't think it is right either. It is the jury's decision. We have a European champion, but I also think it is a real shame for Marie Schreiber, who ends up going home as the loser. That should not have happened."

He acknowledged that Schreiber had deviated slightly from her line, but questioned whether that alone justified changing the outcome of a championship.

"Yes, she moves a little off her line. But is that really enough to relegate someone to second place in a championship?"

It was an unusually uncomfortable situation for Nys. His rider had received the biggest prize on offer, yet he could hardly celebrate the circumstances in which it had been awarded.

"Sometimes top level sport is cruel," he reflected. "They both deserved it, but one of them goes home disappointed. That leaves you with mixed feelings."

While Nys chose his words carefully, Cant had little interest in hiding her frustration.

According to the Belgian coach, Brand had not lodged a complaint about the sprint. Cant claimed that the incident had instead been spotted by the UCI president.

"It really was the UCI president who saw it," she said. "But I have no idea what he thinks he saw."

Cant also dismissed the suggestion that Schreiber should have maintained a perfectly straight line during the final acceleration.

"Maybe he should try sprinting on a cyclocross bike with one hand on the handlebars himself. You are never going to ride perfectly straight. I think the road was wide enough to get past."

Schreiber did not appear on the podium to collect her silver medal, a decision Cant openly admitted she had encouraged.

"I told her she shouldn't go up there," Cant explained. "That is not because we have no respect for Lucinda, but because you should not accept a medal that does not belong to you."

"Marie was the winner of the race. Lucinda admitted that to her. This is beyond absurd."

The podium absence could potentially lead to another sanction for Schreiber, but Cant was equally dismissive of that possibility.

"I will happily pay that fine. I will even double it, if that means the UCI can make some more money."

Whether the result can still be challenged remains unclear, but Cant made it clear that Schreiber's camp has no intention of quietly accepting what happened.

Asked about the possibility of further sanctions, including a suspension, she delivered a final warning.

"We are not going to let this go."