“I played on their weak point” – Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado embraces snowstorm for long-awaited first win of the winter in Mol

Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado finally turned control into reward at the Exact Cross Mol, using patience, timing and the brutal Zilvermeer sand to claim her first victory of the winter as a snowstorm swept across the circuit.

The Dutch rider had spent much of the race probing rather than forcing the issue. Early efforts in the sand stretched the group but failed to produce lasting separation, with Manon Bakker able to respond and Julie Brouwers repeatedly clawing her way back despite conceding small gaps. Even as conditions worsened, the race continued to reset, demanding restraint as much as aggression.

That made Alvarado’s decisive move all the more telling. Rather than relying on repeated accelerations in the sand, she waited until the finish zone and committed to a longer effort, catching her rivals off guard and finally breaking the elastic. Once the gap opened, she doubled down, extending her advantage through the sand as snowfall intensified and the wind began to bite.

“It was always a fight in the sand,” Alvarado explained afterwards in quotes to Sporza. “The section was already completely torn up by the time I arrived. I played on the weak point of my competitors and knew I had to go for a longer effort.”

The timing of that attack reflected a growing confidence. “This victory does me a lot of good,” she said. “Not all the big names were at the start, but the feeling was good and that gives me confidence.”

Even the weather added an unexpected twist. “Rain was forecast on the radar, but I hadn’t really considered that it could snow,” Alvarado smiled. “It will make for a special winner’s photo.”

Behind her, Bakker was left to reflect on what might have been after a disrupted start. She revealed that a chain issue cost her significant time early on, forcing her into a more defensive race. When Alvarado finally attacked, the response was immediate but insufficient.

Julie Brouwers, meanwhile, took encouragement from a podium finish carved out through resilience rather than ease, a timely boost with the national championships approaching.

For Alvarado, though, Mol was about more than points or placement. After weeks of near-misses and measured rides, she finally committed at the right moment and was rewarded with a victory forged in snow, sand and certainty.