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Dutch domination continues at World Cup with Brand claiming Heusden-Zolder round

Alvarado assumes series lead with two races left, Rochette now sixth

Lucinda Brand won her second World Cup race in a row, outsprinting Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado to win in Heusden-Zolder. For the third consecutive round, three Dutch women stood on the podium, with runner-up Alvarado assuming the series lead. After last week’s wretched quagmire in Namur, Heusden-Zolder proved a fast course with minimal mud and carries. Maghalie Rochette had to recover from a bad start to take 14th.

It was the final round in Belgium. Alvarado was 33-points behind Waterloo winner Katerina Nash in the overall standings. Rochette was fifth.

Rochette didn’t fare well in the first corner, drifting from a front row position to about 14th. Alvarado had the hole shot, leading Marianne Vos on the fast, dry course. By the end of 3.15-km Lap 1, Rochette was 19th and Ruby West 33rd, with Alvarado and Vos leading a small group containing Brand and the winner of the Bern and Tabor rounds, Marianne Worst.

Lap 2 saw the leading group grow to nine, world champion Sanne Cant finally having a good race. The numbers were down to five at the line, with Brand at the front. Rochette and West retained their positions.

Cant fought hard on Lap 3 to become the only Belgian in a front group of Dutch riders. Brand’s Lap 4 acceleration could only be matched by Alvarado and Vos.

Brand, Vos and Alvarado escape the others on Lap 4.

Worst made the junction on Lap 5 of six before a thrust from Vos. The quartet slowed noticeably on the pavement leading to the bell lap, drawing its pursuers closer. Inge van der Heijden nearly latched on. Brand and Vos started trading blows out front. Vos failed to ride a steep ramp and it was Alvarado and Brand screaming for lapped riders to get out of their way.

Worst’s efforts against Vos made it a Brand-Alvarado-Worst World Cup podium for the second time in six days. Rochette made it up to 14th and West as high as 30th.

Alvarado sneaks past Nash at the top of the table by a single point. Rochette dropped a single place to 6th.

The World Cup will now have an almost month-long recess before the final two rounds in Nommay, France on January 19 and the closer in Hoogerheide, the Netherlands on January 26.

2019-2020 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Round 7 , Heusden-Zolder, Belgium, Elite Women
1) Lucinda Brand (The Netherlands/Telenet Baloise Lions) 47:49
2) Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (The Netherlands/Corendon Circus) +0:01
3) Annemarie Worst (The Netherlands/777) +1:21
14) Maghalie Rochette (Canada) +1:41
28) Ruby West (Canada) +3:58
72) Kelly Lawson (Canada)
74) Claire Steciuk (Canada)
82) Siobhan Kelly (Canada)