Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado conquers Zonhoven World Cup in brutal conditions

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Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Fenix-Deceuninck) showcased her skill in treacherous conditions, conquering the sand to claim her second victory of the 2024-2025 World Cup at Zonhoven. She finished ahead of Zoe Backstedt (Canyon-SRAM) and current World Cup leader Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek Lions). A morning storm brought heavy rain and wind, delaying earlier races and transforming the course with packed sand, puddles, and mud.

After a strong start, Backstedt surged to the front alone, maintaining a lead of around 15 seconds as the chase group behind continually shifted. Midway through the race, Brand and Inge van der Heijden (Fenix-Deceuninck) bridged across to join her. Alvarado caught the leaders one lap later and capitalized on a mistake by Brand, powering ahead to secure the victory.