Dutchwoman solos from opening lap and takes series lead
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Alvarado wins it(Image credit: Getty Images)
Betsema is the runner-up(Image credit: Getty Images)
Third place for Van der Heijden(Image credit: Getty Images)
Alvarado celebrates(Image credit: Getty Images)
An up and down on the Merksplas course(Image credit: Getty Images)
Alvarado hops a barrier(Image credit: Getty Images)
Marianne Vos had a disappointing afternoon(Image credit: Getty Images)
Hopping the barriers(Image credit: Getty Images)
Clara Honsinger was the best non-European(Image credit: Getty Images)
Alvarado was a dominant winner(Image credit: Getty Images)
Zoe Backstedt defied her age again to place 5th(Image credit: Getty Images)
Betsema (right) and Van der Heijden (left) in the sand(Image credit: Getty Images)
Alvarado crosses the line(Image credit: Getty Images)
The top three on the podium(Image credit: Getty Images)
Alvarado on the podium(Image credit: Getty Images)
Van der Heijden on the podium(Image credit: Getty Images)
Betsema on the podium(Image credit: Getty Images)
The podium ceremony(Image credit: Getty Images)
Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Alpecin-Deceuninck) claimed her second straight Superprestige victory, dominating in Merksplas on Saturday.
The former world champion, who'd endured a rough couple of seasons before her victory in Niel last weekend, went solo on the first lap and was never seen again.
Denise Betsema (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) finished best of the rest after a long and futile chase, crossing the line 18 seconds down. Inge van der Heijden (777) rounded out the podium at 26 seconds.
"It certainly wasn't easy today, even though it seemed that way," said Alvarado.
"I had to keep fighting on a very tough circuit. I had hoped to continue my performance from Niel, I'm happy that I managed to win again today."
Alvarado described how she had a "lead-out" from multiple World Champion Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma), who flew out of the traps but soon dropped back and eventually finished down in 10th.
"I was a bit lucky with Marianne Vos' good lead-out. She dropped back and I got clear track," Alvarado said.
Alvarado made light work of the varied course, which even featured a sector of cobblestones on a circuit that also took in sand, mud, bridges and forests.
After Vos faded, the rider she ousted as world champion earlier this year, Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek Lions), made a couple of errors and paid the price, finishing fourth at 33 seconds.
Betsema and Van der Heyden gave chase and rode most of the race together but weren't able to claw back an unfaltering Alvarado. Betsema left her companion behind on the final lap but by that point it was a contest for the minor placings.
After Brand crossed the line, 18-year-old Zoe Backstedt rounded out the top five with another highly impressive display.
Fem van Empel, who's shone so far this season, was not racing, and neither were Shirin van Anrooij or Puck Pieterse. The highest non-European finisher was the USA's Clara Honsinger in ninth place.
Victory for Alvarado also propelled her into the overall lead of the Superprestige series. She now ties Betsema on 43 points but takes top spot given she has won two races to Betsema's one.
Patrick is a freelance sports writer and editor. He’s an NCTJ-accredited journalist with a bachelor’s degree in modern languages (French and Spanish). Patrick worked full-time at Cyclingnews for eight years between 2015 and 2023, latterly as Deputy Editor.
