Don't look for Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado this Sunday during the Hoogerheide World Cup. The Dutch champion is deliberately skipping the last World Cup race of the season. However, she will start the World Cup race in Maasmechelen a day earlier.
The Fenix-Premier Tech rider doesn't want to race a double cyclocross weekend just one week before the World Championships in Hulst. "Many elite riders choose to do the double, but only Ceylin Alvarado is taking a different route toward the World Championships in Hulst by skipping Hoogerheide," said national coach Gerben de Knegt on the KNWU website.
Alvarado had a difficult start to her cyclocross season due to physical setbacks, but the Rotterdam native has been in excellent form in recent weeks. She even won three of her last four races, including the Zilvermeercross in Mol, the World Cup in Zonhoven, and the Dutch Championships in Huijbergen. Last Sunday, she finished second in the World Cup in Benidorm.
Although Alvarado didn’t win on the Costa Blanca, she remains confident heading into the World Championships. "I think my form is good. Ultimately, this is just a snapshot," she told WielerFlits after the race. "Everyone trains differently during this period leading up to the World Championships. I personally had a tough week, which certainly plays a role. But I am satisfied."
