Alvarado takes her second season win in the World Cup

Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Fenix - Deceuninck) takes control of the race in the Kuil. A poor start and the weather gods in a bad mood could not stop her in Zonhoven. The Dutch rider held off Zoe Bäckstedt (Canyon - SRAM Racing) and Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek Lions) en route to her second win in the 2024-2025 UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup.

After a strong start, Luxembourg's Marie Schreiber (Team SD Worx - Protime) arrived at the first corner in front. The ever so busy Zoe Bäckstedt was on the wheel and soon took over the lead. She immediately put the other riders under pressure and after one lap held a 6 second lead over Annemarie Worst (Cyclocross Reds), who unfortunately had to abandon not much later. Last year's World Cup winner Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado missed her start, but was quickly able to return in a group including Lucinda Brand and Blanka Vas (Team SD Worx - Protime), 13 seconds behind the leader of the race.

Puck Pieterse (Fenix - Deceunink) also managed to find the tail of the chasing group in the second lap. Brand and Van der Heijden (Crelan - Corendon) decided to pick up the pace, gaining a gap on the Alvarado-Pieterse group. Despite the acceleration behind, a strong Zoe Bäckstedt extended her lead to 22 seconds. The lead over Alvarado, Vas and Pieterse had increased to 31 seconds by the start of the third lap.

Halfway through the race, Lucinda Brand decided it was time to attack. The Dutch champion shredded the chasing group with a scorching surge and quickly bridged the gap to the head of the race. While the weather gods treated the riders to a hailstorm, the race was wide open after four laps. A mistake by Brand allowed Alvarado to join her compatriot, Bäckstedt took advantage and went off alone again. With two laps to go, the podium spots already seemed to be decided.

Alvarado and Brand again found Bäckstedt's wheel and moved past the British rider. Another mistake by Brand was the signal for Alvarado to push ahead. Entering the final lap, she had a lead of 11 seconds.

A lead that she did not relinquish. In the closing stages, Zoe Bäckstedt made another bid for victory with a strong attack. She eventually finished 5 seconds behind the winner, keeping Lucinda Brand at bay. A strong Inge Van der Heijden held on to her fourth spot. Puck Pieterse was never really in the race and finished fifth.