World Cup hat trick for series leader Alvarado
The largest World Cup Canadian contingent since Waterloo
Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado increased her series lead by taking a hat trick of 2023-2024 UCI Cross World Cup races in Sunday’s eighth round on a difficult course in Namur, Belgium. The runner-up scrap between Puck Pieterse and Lucinda Brand was a dandy. Sidney McGill was the best Canadian out of five Canucks in 16th.
The Situation Going Into Sunday
Fem van Empel, Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado and Brand had all won two races so far in the World Cup, and Alvarado led Brand by 60 points. Maghalie Rochette was 7th in the standings, but she wasn’t at Namur. However, Sidney McGill, Siobhan Kelly, Katelyn Walcroft, Madeleine Pollack and Mia de Martin made up a large Canadian contingent.
Marie Schreiber and Sara Casasola led up the first big climb on Lap 1. Just as Pieterse made her way into Position 2, her chain came off. McGill found herself in Pieterse and Lucinda Brand’s company. Alvarado grabbed the lead from Casasola. Pieterse surfed her way through the field into second place. Pieterse was 15 seconds in arrears at the line. McGill was 11th.
On Lap 2 Pieterse and Brand made up the main pursuit duo, chasing 17 seconds. An error put Pieterse behind Brand. McGill was down to 13th.
Pieterse found Brand again on Lap 3 of 6 but they could not make inroads into Alvarado’s lead. Inge van der Heijden, Leonie Bentveld and Shirin van Anrooij made up the third group. Pieterse shook off Brand, but Brand’s run up was faster. McGill kept sifting down the deck. Kelly was 44th, while Pollack, Walcroft and de Martin were all together 51st to 53rd.
Pieterse kept leading the chase on Lap 4, slowly closing the gap. Brand came to the front before the muddy off-camber and stole away from Pieterse. Brand was +0:17 and Pieterse +0:25 going into the penultimate lap. McGill was 18th.
Alvarado’s lead increased again on the penultimate lap. It didn’t seem likely that Pieterse would find Brand again, but the Fenix-Deceuninck’s podium presence wasn’t under any threat.
Impressively, Pieterse caught and passed Brand on the bell lap’s final 100 metres to claim second place. McGill outsprinted Aniek van Alphen for 16th.
The next round is Saturday in Antwerp.
2023-2024 UCI Cyclocross World Cup, Round 8, Namur
1) Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (The Netherlands/Alpecin-Deceuninck) 51:57
3) Puck Pieterse (The Netherlands/Fenix-Deceuninck) +0:17
2) Lucinda Brand (The Netherlands/Baloise Trek Lions) +0:19
16) Sidney McGill (Canada) +4:48
46) Siobhan Kelly (Canada)
50) Madeleine Pollack (Canada)
52) Katelyn Walcroft (Canada)
54) Mia de Martin (Canada)
