Marianne Vos, the strongest woman in cycling, proved once again why she is the strongest in a stunning and cunning duel with fellow defending champion Lucinda Brand at the UCI Cyclocross World Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on Saturday.

Perhaps the most tactical of Vos' eight victories, this duel will be discussed by race analysts for years to come.

Some call Vos' tactics smart and patient, while others call his style of racing passive or negative. The harshest critics (Brand's coach, Sven Nys, is one of them) find it frustrating and even cowardly. But Voss vs. Brand, the cunning "fox" vs. "fire," number one vs. number two, was exactly the duel we, and they themselves, had hoped for.

The jousting began less than two laps into the race. Vos and Brand started off, shaking off fellow Dutchwoman Ceylin Carmen del Alvarado and Italian Silvia Persico.

Vos took the steering wheel from Brand and kept it going for most of the race, frustrating Brand.

Brand gestured and waved, but Vos initially refused to pass. Eventually she did pull it out, but neither let the other take the initiative.

A slight incline up, additional gear, and a steeper pitch. Vos tried to test Brand's resilience, and when Brand was not about to be shaken off, Vos prepared for a sprint.

But sprinting was Vos' domain, and Brand did not want to let that happen. Brand nearly got stuck trying to get Voss to lead the sprint. But Vos was not fooled. Both riders stopped. The crowd gasped. Brand kept going. When he saw the line, Vos took the lead and never looked back. Eight years after her last cyclo-cross world title, the 34-year-old took her eighth rainbow jersey. It was a victory for Vos and a frustrating result for Brand.

A fierce battle ensued, and tensions ran high between the two. Perhaps even for some time afterward.

"This moment [for Brando], yes, of course it's bitter. I'm bitter too. That's the rivalry. But the battle stays in the race," Vos assured Cycling News.

Only two years apart, the two grew up together in the sport of road cycling; they were national teammates early on and also rode side by side for several years as part of the Rabo Ribu trade team. At Cross Course, their rivalry is newer, as Brand showed up when Voss was at his worst. But now that Voss has once again found his old winning ways, their rivalry is burning hotter than ever.

"We love to fight each other and will do anything to beat each other. But off the field, we get along great, and in the races, too." We know each other very well and we know that 'this is very difficult' and that's what makes it a good fight."

For Brand, the duel was more frustrating than nice. It was exactly the ending she did not want. The cunning Voss had outwitted her once again.

"Voss knows my strengths and I know hers. I did everything I could to hold on to the rainbow jersey, but it wasn't enough," Brand said. "I knew my best position for the sprint was second because of the wind, and it was a long sprint. So I wanted to let her go to the front, but she knew I was going to do that."

"Marianne continues to be a top contender, her eight world titles are very impressive.

Next weekend, Voss will once again be in rainbow as the brand will change its rainbow stripes to the white, blue, and gold colors of the European Champion.

"It feels really special to wear this jersey. 'It's not the first time, but it's been a while. I always wished and believed that I might still have these things in me, but when they actually happen, it is wonderful. Nothing is ever taken for granted in sports. In that respect, this season was beautiful, I enjoyed it, and now that I can wear this, I will definitely enjoy it again."

Voss and Brand hope to continue this rivalry for a few more years, regardless of age.

"I don't think age matters much in the sport or cyclocross. There are very young riders emerging early and doing very well; an 18-year-old can do well, a 34-year-old can do well. I think it's okay to go a little bit older."

"Experience might help with age, and freshness and explosiveness might help with youth.

"I totally agree," Brand said with a laugh, revealing that this rivalry could be fun for a while yet.