Alvarado wins third consecutive round of X2O Trofee
Young rider Manon Bakker has fine day out
With the World Championships looming next weekend, the current elite women’s champ, Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado, earned her third consecutive X20 Trofee series win at Flandriancross in Hamme, Belgium on Saturday. It was a fine day for 21-year-old Manon Bakker, who took her first major series podium. Lucinda Brand continues to lead the X20 Trofee. Ruby West was top Canadian at 23rd.
Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado won the last two rounds, with Annemarie Worst, Brand and Denise Betsema all scoring early rounds. Brand led Betsema by 58 seconds in the overall.
On Lap 1 Betsema grabbed an early lead, with Alvarado, Sanne Cant and Brand chasing. Alvarado and Betsema swabbed the lead with a long, colourful line of riders right behind them. There was a 15-second bonus at the end of the lap and Betsema wanted it, but it was Brand thwarting her.
Lap 2 saw a group of eight at the front, but soon the octet fragmented. Betsema went over her handlebars and Brand fell. Alvarado pushed on with Cant and Bakker her closest pursuers. At the end of 2 of 5 laps, Alvarado led Cant, Betsema, Bakker and France’s Marion Norbert Riberolle by 15-seconds.
Bakker distinguished herself as Alvarado’s closest pursuer on Lap 3. Brand wasn’t having a good day.
Betsema began to press Bakker on Lap 4, with Alvarado still far ahead, 24-seconds when she heard the bell.
Betsema caught Bakker, but Bakker dashed away on the bell lap. Betsema latched back on and then pushed ahead, taking the runner-up spot and closer the GC gap on Brand with two races remaining.
The penultimate round is February 7.
2020-2021 X2O Trofee, Round 6, Hamme, Belgium, Elite Women
1) Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado (The Netherlands/Alpecin-Fenix) 45:21
2) Denise Betsema (The Netherlands/Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) +0:19
3) Manon Bakker (The Netherlands/Credishop-Fristads) +0:25
23) Ruby West (Canada) +4:38
26) Sidney McGill (Canada) +4:47
33) Siobhan Kelly (Canada) +8:21
