Zonhoven it does not become Zoenhoven, but also without winning Zoe Backstedt she is the great protagonist in the second race of this double World Cup weekend. The victory goes to Ceylin Del Carmen Alvaradowho after yesterday's missed pass in Hulst immediately picks up the thread of the discussion, at the end of a match lived in pursuit for a long time before placing the decisive lunge, making the most of their greater clarity compared to their opponents.
The race was characterized by the unscrupulous conduct of Bäckstedt, who tried to break the bank as he did yesterday Marie Schreiberonly coming close to his first career World Cup victory. For the Brit it comes as the best result ever as an elite and the second podium of the season, and above all the awareness that entering the Christmas period nothing is already decided from the start.
Zonhoven World Cup 2024: the match report
Even before the start all eyes are on Marie Schreibernot only as a start specialist, but above all as yesterday's winner in Hulst. However, the Luxembourger is not as reactive as always in the first minutes of the match, and this time she is Zoe Backstedt to run away at the start. The Brit tackles the descents on the sand in a great way The Pit and took a good lead over her pursuers from the first lap.
Right behind her is Lucinda Brand, while Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado and above all Puck Pieterse It takes them a while to get back to the top positions. Schreiber slides back, while Inge van der Heijden he is having a great day and is fully involved in the fight for the podium, together with Blanka Vas. Out of the game instead Annemarie Worstwho withdrew following a fall and appeared to be suffering a lot from an injury that could compromise a very positive season so far.
There are no big differences in the small group chasing Bäckstedtwho takes advantage of the free road ahead and behind to take a few more risks and build a margin 16″ on Brand at mid-race. An advantage that is not enough to keep calm, also because as the minutes pass, she begins to feel fatigue and feel the world cup leader breathing down her neck, who makes use of her experience to put pressure on her, flank her and then break away from her when exiting a taken on foot.
While the weather conditions worsened again (youth races postponed for a few minutes this morning), Brand initially seemed able to go, but then without any previous warning his action weakened, and Bäckstedt once again found a window of opportunity to gain a few seconds. From behind Alvarado also arriveswho, after having separated Van der Heijden, definitely brings himself back into contention for the victory.
After yesterday's disappointing eighth place, Alvarado regains the brilliance of his best days, and after almost a lap in which the three remain together, he takes advantage of an error by Brand to take the decisive advantage. After a couple of difficult laps Bäckstedt finds the energy to take second position and isn't even very far from reopening the race, but Alvarado is now uncatchable and arrives with a 5″ lead at the finish line.
Brand completes the podium and is still leader of the generalalso because Schreiber doesn't go beyond seventh position. The Luxembourger is still the best under 23, but a very happy Bäckstedt comes close with her best career result in the World Cup. Pieterse is only fifth, evidently still not in top form, which he will hope to find on December 26th Gaverenext round of the World Cup.
