An all-Dutch podium as the battle for victory lasts all the way to the line
Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado (Fenix-Deceuninck) came out on top in a battle of world champions at the opening round of the Superprestige series in Ruddervoorde
The Dutchwoman beat out Fem van Empel (Visma-Lease A Bike) and Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek Lions) in a battle all the way to the finish line
She surged to the finish at the end of the 42-minute race to score her fourth career victory in Ruddervoorde
with reigning world champion Van Empel blasting past Brand in the final metres to take second place at three seconds back
"Mud, wet, dry, fast, that doesn't matter to me," Alvarado said later, according to WielerFlits
it was hard to get to the front and that's when a tactical game started
"The technical parts caused gaps to appear and I had to close a few gaps
Then I thought that might cost me the podium
but Lucinda's acceleration was good for me
"It was all or nothing and it turned out to be true
I was really cursing as that crash was bad timing
but it held everyone up and then I could pull away again
It was all or nothing until the finish and that worked out well."
Alvarado and Brand had been engaged in a duel for victory on the final lap of six after Brand had raced into the penultimate lap solo
She had earlier led the race on her own during the very first lap
with a select chase group consisting of Alvarado
Van Empel and Sara Casasola (Crelan-Corendon) managing to make it a lead quartet on the third lap
Inge van der Heijden (Fenix-Deceuninck) and Laura Verdonschot (De Ceuster-Bonache) almost made it six out front
but Brand was determined to try and win it alone
but her move wouldn't stick all the way to the line
it was Alvarado who made it back across the gap to set up a two-woman fight for glory
Neither managed to distance the other during the final lap
though an Alvarado slip did momentarily give Brand the chance to go solo once more
But Van Empel was still mounting a furious chase behind them
The 22-year-old put in a huge effort to make it back in time for the finish and set up a grandstand finale
The trio came to the final metres of the race still together
but it was Alvarado who had the best run around the final bend
leading all the way to the finish and launching a powerful sprint to victory
seemingly unaware that Van Empel was still close behind
and nipped through to secure second place at the final moment
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Fem van Empel secured second place in the Superprestige race in Ruddervoorde
who claimed her first win of the season just a week ago in Beringen
was bested by Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado after an intense and thrilling race
a fierce battle unfolded between Van Empel
Van Empel won the sprint for second place in the end
“My focus wasn’t quite where it needed to be,” Van Empel admitted afterward
I don’t really have a good explanation for it
and I’m happy I was able to come back into the race and secure second place.”
Van Empel has two more cyclocross races scheduled for October
She will compete in the evening cross in Woerden this Tuesday
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Joran Wyseure (Crelan-Corendon) soloed to his first win of the 2024-25 cyclocross season at the opening round of the Superprestige
securing his first top-level victory in miserable conditions in Ruddervoorde
The 23-year-old Belgian went clear alone on the penultimate lap of the race
pushing on from a select four-man lead group and hanging on at the finish to eventually cross the line just ahead of his rivals
European champion Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) led the chase back across the 12-second deficit in the final lap of the race
neither he nor Niels Vandeputte (Alpecin-Deceuninck) could get across to Wyseure in time to change the race's outcome
while Vanthourenhout rounded out the podium in third
Wyseure had led the race at the conclusion of the first lap
though this wasn't to be a flag-to-flag victory
He had Vandeputte and Vanthourenhout with him in a group of four alongside Kevin Kuhn (Charles Liegeois Roastery)
a group including Baloise Trek Lions duo Thibau Nys and Lars van der Haar and Felipe Orts (Ridley Racing Team) were chasing
with the riders making it across before the midway point of the race
Their absences left a five-man group up front – Wyseure
Van der Haar was left in the most trouble by the move
dropping away from the leading four as Vandeputte and Wyseure chased and eventually got back on
things slowed down a little at the front as the leaders looked to one another
He made his move on the penultimate lap of the race and didn't look back
His advantage was enough to ensure victory
with Vandeputte and Vanthourenhout rounding out the podium in the background while Wyseure celebrated as he crossed the line
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Annemarie Worst second behind former World Champion in Ruddervoorde
Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Alpecin-Deceuninck) scored her first victory of the 2023-24 cyclocross season with an impressive solo display at the Superprestige round in Ruddervoorde
It was her third career win on the Ruddervoorde course
“I'm quite happy with that,” she said at the finish line
"The first part of the race was quite tough. The lap was tough
and the racing was fast. I think the second part of the race went better
“I am now going to next week in good spirits [European Championships]. I hope to go home with the best possible result
and I have a good feeling about it.”
Alvarado established herself in the leading duo alongside Annemarie Worst (Cyclocross Reds) but dropped her Dutch compatriot on the fourth lap of six
clearly the stronger of the two when running up the steep ramps that characterised the middle of the laps in Belgium
Worst would only drop further back from Alvarado as the remaining two laps ticked by
allowing Alvarado to cross the line with her arms spread wide.
Her winning advantage over Worst was 17 seconds at the line with Marion Norbert Riberolle (Crelan-Corendon) crossing the line in third 40 seconds down on the winner
Young riders Zoe Backstedt (Canyon-SRAM) and Marie Schreiber (SD Worx) tried to take an early lead and capitalise on a slightly weakened field without World Champion Fem van Empel (Jumbo-Visma)
but Alvarado and Worst proved too strong as the laps went on.
Van Empel didn't take the start as she gears up for the first European round of the Cyclocross World Cup tomorrow in Maasmechelen
Another top rider Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck) also wasn't present in Ruddervoorde as she recovers from a long mountain biking season that only ended earlier this month.
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during which time he also wrote for Eurosport
Prior to joining the team he reported on races such as Paris-Roubaix and the Giro d’Italia Donne for Eurosport and has interviewed some of the sport’s top riders in Chloé Dygert
he spends the majority of his time watching other sports – rugby
Denise Betsema repeated as winner of the Ruddervoorde
Belgium round of the Superprestige series on a warm Saturday afternoon
Betsema triumphed in the opening round of the 2022-2023 series after three third places and three fourth places in the young season
prestigious ‘cross series after the World Cup
Lucinda Brand rolled to an easy series victory by earning six wins
Betsema the only rider that prevented a clean sweep by taking the technical Ruddervoorde race
All eight rounds in 2022-2023 are in Belgium
Brand would miss Ruddervoorde with a hand injury
World Cup leader Fem van Empel or any Canadians
Inge van der Heijden claimed the hole shot on Lap 1
Betsema moved up by taking a different line on a steep little hill
The riders ran through the taxing sand pit
Alvarado and Annemarie Worst made up the rest of the leading quartet
Worst’s slide out forced her to chase
Alvarado always seemed to be yo-yoing at the back
Van der Heijden climbed back into the driver’s seat at the start of Lap 3 of 6
but she didn’t have much worry about losing a podium position
as Worst and Marion Norbert-Riberolle were far back
Betsema vs van der Heijden continued at the business end of the race on Lap 4
the duo keeping Alvarado at arm’s length and heading into the penultimate lap with a 17-second gap
Betsema pushed away at the start of the penultimate lap and started catching riders
Van der Heijden had 10 seconds to make up on the bell lap
but a bike change complicated this challenge
The 777 rider had to be satisfied with her third podium of the season
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Helen Wyman (Kona) led home a British one-two in the opening round of the 2013-14 Superprestige cyclo-cross series in Ruddervoorde
British cyclo-cross national champion Nikki Harris (Telenet-Fidea) came home in second
with Belgian Sanne Cant (Enertherm-BKCP) in third
Gabriella Durrin (Rapha-Focus) placed fourth after losing out in the sprint against Cant
making it three riders for Britain in the top five
Belgian riders made a clean sweep of the podium places in the elite men's race with Klaas Vantornout (Sunweb-Napoleon) taking the honours
Sven Nys (Crelan KDL) in second and Tom Meeusen (Telenet-Fidea) in third.
Harris had also placed second in the second round of the UCI cyclo-cross World Cup in Tibor
Harris is now second overall behind Compton in the World Cup overall standings
Lars van der Haar (Rabobank) won the elite men's race ahead of Philipp Walsleben (BKCP-Powerplus) and Kevin Pauwels (Sunweb-Napoleon) in third
Britain's Ian Field (Hargroves) finished in 18th spot
Van der Haar leads the men's World Cup standings after also winning the opening round in Valkenburg the previous week
Sandy sections make for challenging racing in the Superprestige Ruddervoorde
Klaas Vantornout wins Superprestige Ruddervoorde
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Mathieu van der Poel wins Ruddervoorde Telenet Superprestige 2019 (David Stockman/BELGA/AFP via Getty Images)
The Dutchman took the first step towards defending his rainbow bands next year
Mathieu van der Poel (Corendon-Circus) emerged victorious on his return to cyclocross after a year dominated by his breakthrough on the road scene
The two-time cyclocross world champion hit the front for the second half of the race and held off his rivals to cross the finish line 23 seconds ahead of Laurens Sweeck (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) at the Telenet Superprestige Ruddervoorde
Belgian cyclocross champion Toon Aerts (Telenet-Baloise Lions) finished third
Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) could only manage fifth
while Tom Pidcock (Trinity) finished sixth
Van der Poel had taken some time off after a hectic road season that saw him win the Amstel Gold Race as well as the Tour of Britain
but now returns to cyclocross as he looks to defend his rainbow jersey early next year
His Corendon-Circus team have also today indicated they hope to go to the Vuelta a España next year, with the first three stages of the 2020 edition being held in the Netherlands.
Van der Poel's participation in what would be his first ever Grand Tour is an idea that "has indeed been discussed", the 24-year-old told Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad. "I like new challenges. Riding in a Grand Tour could indeed be the next challenge."
Jonny was Cycling Weekly's Weekend Editor until 2022
I like writing offbeat features and eating too much bread when working out on the road at bike races
Before joining Cycling Weekly I worked at The Tab and I've also written for Vice
and worked freelance for The Telegraph (I know
but I needed the money at the time so let me live)
I also worked for ITV Cycling between 2011-2018 on their Tour de France and Vuelta a España coverage
Sometimes I'd be helping the producers make the programme and other times I'd be getting the lunches
Just in case you were wondering - Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen had the same ham sandwich every day
Frustrated at getting pipped at the line last week in Ruddervoorde
Lucinda Brand got her revenge by dominating Sunday’s second round of Superprestige series on a climby course in Overijse
It was her second victory of the 2024-2025 season
Brand takes over the series lead from Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado
Brand and runner-up Fem van Empel are even on points
Winner of the last two Superprestige overall trophies and three in total, Alvarado got straight to work last Sunday defending her title with victory over van Empel and Brand in Ruddervoorde
Alvarado was hot off of a triumph in Saturday’s Exact Cross round
All three riders had won the Overijse round in previous years
Neither Brand (pedals) nor Alvarado enjoyed a good start
led on Lap 1 with AnneMarie Worst and van Empel tight on her wheel
French Van Dysel rider Hélène Clauzel replaced Worst in the front trio
Hungarian Kata Blanka Vas and Inge van der Heijden bridged over to create a sextet
Clauzel broke trail and van der Heijden clung to the end of the string
Brand and Casasola lit out on their own on Lap 3
The Superprestige lead was getting away from Alvarado
The Dutch champion held an 11-second advantage over her chasers going into the penultimate lap
skipping off her bike when she lost her front tire in a tight turn
On the bell lap a Casasola error yielded second place to van Empel; it would be consecutive Superprestige runner-up spots for the world champion