"She was pushing me with her bike. I didn't like that" - Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado left unimpressed by Zoe Backstedt in Gullegem
Cyclocross
The fight for 2nd behind Lucinda Brand at Superprestige Gullegem Cross on Saturday afternoon went right down to the wire as Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado and Zoe Backstedt battled fiercely in a photo finish sprint that eventually went the way of the Welshwoman.
In and amongst the fight for second though, there was a moment of contention during the final running section as Backstedt made her move past Alvarado before cutting across to get to the inside line on the corner first. The Dutchwoman, didn't simply give up the position though, physically putting her hands on Backstedt with a push. Afterwards, Alvarado explained the situation from her point of view.
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‘’She passed me and hijacked it straight at me. As a result, she was pushing against me with her bike. I didn't like that very much," the former world champion told the media, clearly unimpressed by Backstedt's actions. "She could have easily done it, but maybe a bit further. I try to push her back on her line.‘’
Although Alvarado did manage to get back level to Backstedt before the finale. In the sprint for the line it was the Welsh star the prevailed. "Whether this affected the final result? I don't know," Alvarado concludes. "We sprinted to the finish. No idea.‘’
| 01 | Brand Lucinda | - | 44:22 |
| 02 | Backstedt Zoe | - | + 06 |
| 03 | Alvarado Ceylin del Carmen | - | + 06 |
| 04 | Bentveld Leonie | - | + 39 |
| 05 | Norbert Riberolle Marion | - | + 01:30 |
| 06 | van Alphen Aniek | - | + 01:47 |
| 07 | Cant Sanne | - | + 02:42 |
| 08 | Kastelijn Yara | - | + 02:54 |
| 09 | Franck Alicia | - | + 03:03 |
| 10 | Langenbarg Puck | - | + 03:20 |
| 11 | Truyen Marthe | - | + 03:25 |
| 12 | De Beer Jamie | - | + 03:47 |
| 13 | Peeters Jinse | - | + 04:09 |
| 14 | Van Sinaey Xaydee | - | + 04:22 |
| 15 | Coppens Nette | - | + 04:23 |
| 16 | Knijnenburg Anne | - | + 04:56 |
| 17 | Bramati Lucia | - | + 05:09 |
| 18 | Hurteloup Adèle | - | + 05:28 |
| 19 | Devigne Camille | - | + 05:47 |
| 20 | Coraboeuf Léa | - | + 05:59 |
| 21 | Verkerk Katja | - | + 06:10 |
| 22 | Vervloet Sterre | - | + 06:10 |
| 23 | Klaes Lise | - | + 06:29 |
| 24 | De Martin Mia | - | + 06:36 |
| 25 | Baele Lotte | - | + 06:53 |
| 26 | De Smedt Febe | - | + 06:54 |
| 27 | Perryman Amy | - | + 07:35 |
| 28 | De Bruyckere Xenna | - | + 08:08 |
| 29 | Rombouts Tine | - | + 08:34 |
| 30 | Sels Loes | - | + 09:29 |
| 31 | Delcommune Juline | - | + 09:34 |
😵⚡ Un finish 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲̀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝘂 et un 𝗱𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘂 entre Alvarado et @Backstedt_Zoe ! ⚡😵
— Pickx Sports (@PickxSports) January 4, 2025
Lucinda Brand réalise la belle opération à Gullegem 🏆🇳🇱#cyclocross #superprestige #Gullegem #LucindaBrand #Alvarado #Backstedt pic.twitter.com/myMVI0gBTw
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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