Aniek van Alphen second in Niel despite slower start: "I am very happy with this, especially after a very bad start

A podium place for Aniek van Alphen in the Superprestige Niel. The Cyclocross Reds rider had a difficult start, but after a catch-up race she still ended up in a nice second place.

"I am very happy with this, especially after a very bad start," Van Alphen added. "I got into my rhythm better and better. I noticed that others started to make mistakes because it was very difficult. I didn't actually make any mistakes, so I was able to keep riding at the same pace. So I'm very happy with that second place."

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For a while, Van Alphen seemed to be involved in a battle for third place, together with Manon Bakker. Her teammate Annemarie Worst was still in second position. "It was difficult to knock someone off if someone was in your wheel and could ride the same lines. That's why I had to be careful with Manon, so that I didn't take her to Annemarie. You have to think about that a bit. But I noticed that she also started to make mistakes, so I took my chance."

The victory went to Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado, who crossed the line with a big lead after a long solo. Was she unapproachable? "I haven't actually seen her at all, so I think so. When you see how big her lead is, it shows that she is super strong. Maybe I could have stayed with her for a lap if I had a better start, but we'll never know."

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