HG Cross Heerderstrand: Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado delivers assured ride to triumph in elite women’s race

Prior to the race, it was the official launch of Fem van Empel’s new team, Specialized TMRW, that took centre stage, following van Empel’s return to the field last weekend in Meulebeke. The former world champion immediately imposed herself on the race, taking the lead within the first minute of racing, with Leonie Bentveld (Pauwels Sauzen-Altez-Industriebouw) hot on her heels.

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The two leading riders took two very different approaches on the long sand section, with van Empel dismounting and running close to the barriers, while Bentveld stayed on her bike and rode along the lakefront. It wasn’t enough to separate them, but van Empel appeared to be in ominous form, carving out a small gap as lap 1 wore on, but by the time they crossed the finish line for the first time, a group of five riders had joined her, with 777TV’s Hélène Clauzel taking up the front position heading into lap 2. The group stayed together through the first part of the second lap, but Betsema rode aggressively, striking out into the lead and opening up a gap to the chase group, with Clauzel taking the initiative and leading the chase.

Betsema’s lead continued to grow heading into the third lap of six, and she continued her dogged progress, with the shape of the chase group changing behind her. Alvarado and Bakker were the two riders who eventually clawed Betsema back to form a leading trio on lap 4, with Van Alphen in solo pursuit in fourth, and both Van Empel and Clauzel fading.

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Alvarado’s strength through the sand section may have struck an ominous warning on lap 4, with Betsema briefly faltering in her wake, but a mistake for the Dutch champion as her foot slipped out meant that they were all back together as a trio again heading into lap 5.

They remained that way until Bakker began to exert her authority, using her power to begin to test Betsema, who was the first to lose touch, struggling to hang onto the lead pair under the continued pressure by the bullish Bakker, who was opening her European season following 6 victories from 8 races in the USA.

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Heading into the final lap, however, Betsema dug deep to bring herself back into contention, and with the podium finishers all but decided it was down to the three riders who had proven they were strongest on the day to battle it out to decide their finishing positions. Bakker appeared to pay for her big effort on lap 5 as she began to slip away on the final lap, and Alvarado powered her way into the final long sand section, controlling her bike well and then running confidently to stretch out her lead over the pair of chasers.

It was a decisive strike by Alvarado, with both Bakker and Betsema fading on the final lap while behind them, van Alphen enjoyed a spirited late surge to throw her hat in the ring for a podium spot. Her dogged pursuit paid off, as she closed down Bakker in the final section of the course to set up a two-up sprint for second with Betsema. Her efforts proved costly, however, with Betsema able to hold her off to seal second spot.