“It is not clear when she will race again" — Former world champion's return to racing uncertain as knee injury proves more of a concern than initially hoped

Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado’s comeback has been dealt a fresh setback, with the former world champion still unable to pin down a return date as she continues to battle a lingering knee injury.

The 25-year-old had been due to resume competition at Tabor on 23 November, but that target has now been ruled out as her recovery stalls. Speaking to Sporza, team boss Christoph Roodhooft admitted the situation remains open-ended.

“It is not clear when she will race again. The initial plan was Tabor (23 November), but that will be too soon.”

That assessment marks a shift from a week earlier, when Roodhooft suggested progress was moving in the right direction as Alvarado completed her first off-road training sessions. The Dutch rider had steadily increased load in recent weeks, but discomfort has persisted and the team will not rush her back.

The setback comes after two of the strongest winters of Alvarado’s senior career.

After winning the overall World Cup in 2023/24, she backed that campaign up with another consistent and high-quality run in 2024/25. Her results included World Cup victories in Namur and Zonhoven, silver at the European Championships, a string of Superprestige wins and podiums, and seventh at the World Championships.

Those performances cemented her place alongside Fem van Empel and Puck Pieterse at the front of the sport, leaving expectation that she would once again be a major factor from the opening rounds this season.

Instead, her winter begins on the sidelines — and with no timeline yet in place.

With the women’s field already at full tilt — Van Empel as always proving to be a benchmark and Lucinda Brand in winning form — Alvarado’s delayed start keeps another headline contender out of the front of the race.

Her strength across varied courses last winter — excelling on heavy, technical laps as well as faster circuits — suggested she was well-placed to build on consecutive strong seasons. But for now, ongoing knee irritation has made caution unavoidable.

The team remains optimistic about her long-term outlook, yet the absence of a clear target reflects a priority on full resolution over urgency. When she does return, Alvarado will face a field already deep into its rhythm — but her performances over the past two seasons show she has the level to re-establish herself quickly once fully fit.