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Alvarado earns first World Cup victory of the season in the last round at Overijse

Lucinda Brand is the 2020-2021 World Cup champion

January 24, 2021
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Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado looks ready to defend her world championship title as she had won races on consecutive days, topping off the weekend with her first World Cup victory since last November on a climber’s course in Overijse, Belgium . Runner-up Lucinda Brand had wrapped up her first World Cup title in the penultimate roundback on January 3 in Hulst, the Netherlands, having won the first three races. Maghalie Rochette was top Canadian at 29th one week before the World Championships in Oostende, Belgium.

Marianne Vos, who started in the fourth row, led early on Lap 1, with Alvarado behind her. Betsema came forward, along with Brand and last season’s World Cup champ Annemarie Worst. In the latter half of the 2.8-km circuit, Alvarado opened up an advantage of two seconds at the line.

The irrepressible Marianne Vos led early.

Brand took the reins on Lap 2 as Alvarado, Vos and Betsema pitted. Again the world champion pushed ahead. Brand et al received reinforcements in the form of Anna Kay, Worst and Sanne Cant. Betsema came across in the latter half of the second circuit, with Brand the closest pursuer.

Betsema comes across to Alvarado on Lap 2.

Evie Richards came across to Brand early on Lap 3 of five. At the pointy end of the race, Alvarado shed Betsema, but a crash evened it up again. Soon Brand made the junction, with Manon Bakker lurking behind. Bakker made it a leading quartet only 7 seconds ahead of American Clara Honsinger and Anna Kay. Maghalie Rochette was 31st.

The leading quartet of Brand, Betsema, Alvarado and Bakker on Lap 3.

Honsinger came across on Lap 4, and Sanne Cant was on her way. Brand and Alvarado pushed away from the others. In third position Honsinger was dreaming of her third World Cup podium of the season, Bakker her main threat. When they heard the bell, Brand and Alvarado had eight seconds over Bakker and Honsinger.

Brand and Alvarado took new bikes at the start of the bell lap. The world champion forced a gap that grew over the lap. Bakker not only put Honsinger in her rear view mirror, but she also started to crowd Brand. Brand held Bakker off in the sprint. It was Bakker’s first World Cup podium of the season, coming one day after her X2O Trofee podium.

2020-2021 World Cup, Round 5, Overijse, Elite Women
1) Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado (The Netherlands/Alpecin-Fenix) 49:48
2) Lucinda Brand (The Netherlands/Baloise Trek Lions) +0:20
3) Manon Bakker (The Netherlands/Credishop-Fristads) +0:21
29) Magahlie Rochette (Canada) +4:21
32) Ruby West (Canada) +4:45
51) Sidney McGill (Canada) +8:58