"That was the moment for me to turn on the gas tap" - Lucinda Brand's crash key moment for Alvarado victory in Mol
Cyclocross
Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado is having a brilliant season and this afternoon she won her ninth race of the season at the Zilvermeercross Mol. She used this to extend her Superprestige by 1 point over Lucinda Brand.
“That is only beautiful of course and I am very happy with that," Alvarado said in a post-race interview. "Did I make the difference in the sand? Yes, although I have to say that it was difficult. When you arrived first, everything was trampled to pieces and there was no real trail to follow. And in the wheel you had no overview, so it was difficult to make a choice".
It was a sandy raced but with the rain making it's presence felt. Alvarado was together in front with Lucinda Brand and Inge van der Heijden, but eventually the differences were made in the final lap, fruit of errors. “In the end, halfway through the race I did try to make the difference because I heard that Inge [van der Heijden] had to run. After that there were still two of us, so that makes a difference".
Then Lucinda Brand had a fall, and the gap that opened up could never again be closed, as Alvarado had the legs to keep and extend the lead over her compatriots. “I heard that Brand had fallen, but she had not ridden that far at that moment, so I certainly thought that she would still be able to catch up. She didn't, so that was the moment for me to turn on the gas tap," she concluded.
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The Women's Elite SuperPrestige in Mol was won by Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado. https://t.co/Sy2BpjZ1O7 pic.twitter.com/bqxJA1b0TW
— FirstCycling (@FirstCycling) December 23, 2024
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A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
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- They do this but literally let cars on courses to run over riders.mij07-11-2026
- Looking at that photo she appears to be several feet from her. I’m not sure how that impeded brands sprint.mij07-11-2026
- I hope you are wrong but I suspect you will be proved correct. It might do something for Scottish tourism - although due to logistics the route skips the most spectacular parts of Scotland. It will bring in short term money no doubt, but will cycling overall in the U,K benifit? I doubt it. Even at £2 a litre the bits love thei cars,Cyclingsbestfan07-11-2026
- Lucky to not get disqualified
leedorney07-11-2026 - The road from Holyrood to Edinburgh Castle is a nice steady climb of just over a mile that is cobbled in many parts. (Very slippery if wet!) If the teams are going by one by one that will give fans an even better view of the riders up close than the castle esplanade.Cyclingsbestfan07-11-2026
- wtf dudemij07-11-2026
- big rival … ridiculous.Ketterechts07-11-2026
- It would be great if the World Champion's jersey could be rotated among McNulty, Simmons, and Jorgenson. They threaded the needle perfectly. If each hadn't done exactly what he did, exactly when he did it, the race would have gone to one of the more heralded superstars. That said, how nice that this humble and hardworking guy gets his moment in the sun.
MarkFour07-11-2026 - This is a really interesting idea, which, if well prepared could even be very successful. Very little money needs to be involved for a first season and any success could lead to rapid interest from sponsors.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Hmmm, you seem to have a very convenient black and white view of things. Perhaps you haven’t been around much to discover how complex problems can become over time with people who know how to control, manipulate (or worse) others so gradually or subtly that you arrive at an irresolvable situation before you realise. This is how many inconveniences get introduced to the young, naïve, passionate or “desperate”, knowing they are not armed, protected or strong enough to defend themselves once it’s too late. Why do you think omerta culture is so widespread, why do you think so many people continue to go through so many awful things in life that others can’t understand anyone getting into? Life may be far more jolly for you but you would do well to understand (or reflect more on) the real world to refrain from being so quick to criticise those in a hard spot that may have genuine reason for speaking out.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
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