Brand wins in Merksplas after duel with Alvarado

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Lucinda Brand (Telenet Baloise Lions) emerged victorious at the fourth round of the Telenet Superprestige series in Merksplas after a near race-long battle with World Champion Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Alpecin-Fenix).

The two swapped spells on the front as their different skills emerged in the sand or on the short climbs and nerve-testing descents. Fatigue eventually made a difference, pushing the riders to their limits.

Alvarado opened a late gap after Brand struggled in the sand and seemed on the way to victory. However, she then crashed while leading during the last lap and Brand was able to ride past her to the win alone.

Alvarado then crashed again before the finish and needed to straighten her handlebars, with Denise Betsema (Bingoal) passing her to take second place at six seconds. Alvarado came home third at 16 seconds. Betsema had started on the third row of the grid and slipped down the field before mounting a high-speed comeback.   

Canada’s Maghalie Rochette finished 11th at 1:20. Katherine Compton was 27th on her European season debut, at 4:21.

“It was a hectic and slippery course and so it was not so not strange to make mistakes. We both made little mistakes during the race and especially when we got tired. Then strongest won,” Brand said proudly.

Alvarado blamed the accumulation of fatigue.

“I think I eventually took too many risk and tiredness also played a role. It was wet and slippy. I crashed twice and that cost me the race,” she said.

“I think it was more tiredness than anything else. We were racing full gas for almost every lap.”