Young star Alvarado wins elite cyclocross world title in all-Dutch battle
Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado was the best of a three-way Dutch battle in Dübendorf, Switzerland, taking her first elite cyclocross world championship over Annemarie Worst and Lucinda Brand.
Alvarado, 21, initially planned to race the U23 race, but decided last month to race with the elites. Last week, she finished second overall in the World Cup standings.
“Right now, I’m feeling very tired. It’s an indescribable feeling, to finally be world champion,” she said after the finish.
Blustery, wet conditions met the elite women’s field on Saturday, but the Dutch selection seemed unphased. By the final lap it was down to just three riders, all from the Netherlands. Worst seemed to have an edge over both Brand and Alvarado for much of the lap. Worst led through the final corner, but Alvarado was able to come around with just a few meters remaining.
“It was very difficult. We were a close match to each other. I had mechanical problems too and that didn’t help,” Worst told Sporza television. “I came back a couple of times. It wasn’t easy. When my saddle broke I had to stand on the pedals and my legs were full of lactic acid.”
Just two weeks ago, Worst topped Alvarado in a sprint to win the final World Cup round in Nommay.
Katie Compton (USA) followed the three Dutchwomen and finished fourth, one minute down.
Results
1 – Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Netherlands) 0:45:20
2 – Annemarie Worst (Netherlands) 0:00:01
3 – Lucinda Brand (Netherlands) 0:00:10
4 – Katherine Compton (United States Of America) 0:01:00
5 – Yara Kastelijn (Netherlands) 0:01:26
6 – Evie Richards (Great Britain) 0:01:44
7 – Eva Lechner (Italy) 0:02:25
8 – Ellen Van Loy (Belgium) 0:02:46
9 – Laura Verdonschot (Belgium) 0:02:52
10 – Marlène Petit (France) 0:03:06
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