Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado "better than when I became world champion a few years ago" but admits superior level in competition

Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado has had a front-row seat to the cyclocross world and has observed both the former and current generations of riders, which include emerging talents like Fem van Empel, Puck Pieterse, and Shirin van Anrooij.

“I thought last year and the year before that women's cyclocross evolved, that it was different compared to a few years ago,” said Alvarado. She continues, “You can still see that now. It just keeps growing and you just keep adjusting yourself to the youth that is taking off. They also dominate the cross. That is still an adjustment. I am 24, but it has already changed in recent years.”

With a relentless and intense approach to the competition, the young riders have transformed the sport into a high-speed, cut-throat contest from the start. “Previously, after the start, you felt a little bit and you started to make a bit of course halfway through the race. Now it's full house from lap one, like it's the last lap. At the beginning, it took some getting used to that way of driving,” said Alvarado.

While the younger generation of riders has pushed Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado to her limits, it has also driven her to improve and raise her own level of performance.“I think I am better than when I became world champion a few years ago. Only the level is currently so high that you don't see it, that it doesn't stand out. I drive better values ​​than then, but they just drive so fast now," concluded Alvarado.