Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado closed the gap to the leader of the Superprestige series by claiming Tuesday’s fifth round in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium. Alvarado added Heusden-Zolder to Jaarmarktcross and Merksplas in November and now trails Denise Betsema by a single point.
At the midway point of the competition, Betsema, winner of Round 1, led two-round victory Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado by five points.
There was no Puck Pieterse nor Shirin van Anrooij.
The Canadian contingent was Maghalie Rochette, Ava and Isabella Holmgren, Siobhan Kelly, Jenaya Francis, Christiane Bilodeau, Madeleine Pollack, and Geza Rodgers.
Alvarado seized the reins from Silvia Persico on Lap 1, Betsema in Position 3. Betsema pushed forward in the second half of the first circuit, Inge van der Heijden alongside. The four riders crossed the line together at 8:24.
Going into Lap 2 the leading quartet had a chasing quartet close behind and the two merged into an octet. Lucinda Brand, still making her way back to the top of her form, was included. Van der Heijden wasn’t interested in a larger group, so she worked to break it up.
Betsema’s surge split the group going into Lap 3 of 5. Brand and Persico pursued Betsema, Alvarado and van der Heijden. It would be Brand who had the most difficulty latching back on.
Alvarado and van der Heijden pushed away from Betsema on the penultimate lap, who joined Brand and Persico. Alvarado shook off van der Heijden.
On the bell lap, Brand joined Betsema and Persico to scrap for the final podium spot. Brand prevailed.
Wednesday is the next round in Diegem.
2022-2023 Superprestige, Round 5, Heusden-Zolder
1) Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (The Netherlands/Alpecin-Deceuninck) 40:21
2) Inge van der Heijden (The Netherlands/777) +0:03
3) Lucinda Brand (The Netherlands/Baloise Trek Lions) +0:06
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