Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado is a prominent figure in the upper echelons of women's cyclocross. The Alpecin-Deceuninck (formerly Fenix-Deceuninck) rider claimed her first cyclo-cross world championship in 2020, and the 25-year-old Dutchwoman is determined to add a second world title this season.
Alvarado's cyclocross career speaks for itself. Remarkably, the Rotterdam native has secured almost all the major elite titles and championships at least once: she boasts victories in the World Championships, the European Championships, the National Championships, and the X2O Trophy (formerly DVV Trophy), and she has clinched the Superprestige classification twice. It's only natural that Alvarado aspires to outperform her performance from last winter when she notched up five wins.
Alvarado participated in only a few road races, though Roy Jans' girlfriend performed exceptionally well. In the LOTTO Thüringen Ladies Tour, she secured an eighth-place finish in the overall classification, followed by a fourth-place ranking in the final results of the Giro Toscane. When her road program and Plouay results are brought up, she laughs and says, "It's only a few races, eh. But in those races, I wasn't really aiming for top results. It was more about getting some race experience, all while keeping an eye on the upcoming cyclocross season.
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Alvarado managed to win the Middelkerke cross last season
Much like Inge van der Heijden, who is poised to be a formidable competitor this year, Alvarado began her cyclocross season at the Exact Cross of Beringen (where she finished second). "This year, things are starting a bit later than usual, but otherwise, my schedule will closely resemble that of last year. I'm really content with my performance last winter, especially as I was making significant progress towards the end. Hopefully, I can carry that momentum into this year and aim for even better results!
According to her, Alvarado hasn't made significant changes in her preparation for the cyclocross season compared to previous years. "I've followed a mix of mountain biking and road cycling again, although last year, it leaned more toward road cycling due to my health at the time. This year, I'm feeling fantastic, which is already a positive sign." So, what would make the ambitious Alvarado consider the cyclocross season a success? "When I become world champion!" she declares, with a hearty laugh and, of course, a playful wink.