This cyclocross weekend, at least at the women's side was a rollercoaster for all the ladies. Those who had a worse day in Hulst shined on Zonhoven course and viceversa. The victory at the Belgian cross eventually went to Ceylin del Carment Alvarado, who was accompanied on the podium by Zoë Backstedt and Lucinda Brand. One was all smiles, the other very disappointed.
"When we had retaken Bäckstedt I felt very strong for two laps and it went very well. Then came that hairpin bend, where I had a bit of a hiccup, and suddenly my legs just filled up," said the Dutch woman, who was searching for a cause of the defeat in a post-race interview.
"I also shut down after that. I didn't let her go, but if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. I actually struggle with that bend every year. I try to tackle it, but it just doesn't help," said the 35-year-old. Regardless of two defeats this weekend, Brand still comfortably leads the World Cup classification.
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Zoë Backstedt
The other lady who just missed out on winning was Bäckstedt. Her emotions were very different from Brand's. Because the fact that the British didn't win didn't really bother her. "Lucinda and Ceylin are so strong, I was very happy that I could still sprint to second place," said the 20-year-old. "I almost went over my handlebars twice, I really thought: 'oh, that's where I almost went.'"
She deliberately tried to ride away early today, so that she could ride in front of the rest of the field alone, just like Marie Schreiber did on Saturday. That didn't work, but Bäckstedt certainly wasn't disappointed. "That I could fight for second place with Lucinda is very satisfying, it went well for a long time today. I really gave it my all. Above all, I really enjoyed it, I really had a lot of fun."
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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