No Maghalie Rochette for sandy Koksijde World Cup, Alvarado with the win
A day of Dutch domination
Maghalie Rochette did not race the fifth round of the UCI cyclocross World Cup in Koksijde, Belgium on Sunday. The day began with the Canadian champ in second place in the standings. Rochette’s website had Koksijde and Saturday’s Ambiancecross in Wachtebeke, Belgium as part of her schedule but she skipped the weekend. Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado earned her first elite women’s World Cup victory on a day of Dutch domination.
As usual, it was a brutal course on the North Sea, with sand and run ups galore.
Back to Koksijde this weekend ??#TelenetUCICXWC pic.twitter.com/eTyDdJLBir
— UCI Cyclocross (@UCI_CX) November 22, 2019
Ellen Van Loy took the hole shot with Lucinda Brand taking an early lead. Immediately came the sandy run up. Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado took over after the second run up. Alvarado pushed a four-second gap over compatriot Yara Kastelijn. Five Dutch riders came together at the front by the end of the first 3.2-km, 9:34 lap.
Dutch train at the front after lap 1.
????? @Yarakastelijn, @AnnemarieMTB, @vdheijdeninge, @lucinda_brand, Alvarado. #TelenetUCICXWC— UCI Cyclocross (@UCI_CX) November 24, 2019
After the Dutch quintet stayed together on most of the second of five laps, Alvarado charged ahead of the others by the line. World champions Sanne Cant, having started from the second row, toiled to link up with the leaders.
On Lap 3, the Dutch re-formed where the course was drier. On Lap 4, Brand, in the Dutch champion’s jersey, yanked out a lead. Soon after the bell lap Brand came to heel once more, but her pace dropped two cars from the Dutch train.
Alvarado was better on the descents, and she edged ahead midway through the last lap, but again Brand seized the reins. Alvarado accelerated just before Brand made an error and rode away for the big win.
Czech Katerina Nash still leads the World Cup standings. Alvarado moved up to third and Rochette sifted down to seventh.
It will be nearly a month’s recess before the next World Cup in Namur.
2019-2020 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Round 5, Koksijde, Belgium, Elite Women
1) Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (The Netherlands/Corendon-Circus) 47:09
2) Lucinda Brand (The Netherlands/Telenet Baloise Lions) +0:06
3) Yara Kastelijn (The Nethelands/777) +0:08
