Van Alphen Secures First World Cup โVictory in Flamanville, Takes Series Lead
Flamanville, France – Aniek Van Alphen delivered a breakthrough performance Sunday, winningโข the Cyclocross World Cup in Flamanville and seizing the overall series lead.โข The victory marksโ a career highlight for Van Alphen, who poweredโฃ away fromโ a strong โfield including Amandine Fouquenetโค and Ceylin Alvarado.
The race unfolded โwiht Fouquenet initially setting a fast pace, followed by a strong โmove from Van Alphen that quicklyโข distanced early โขchallenger Leonie Bentveld. A chase group formed behind, including Fouquenet, Alvarado, and Inge van der Heijden, but Van Alphenโ proved relentless, establishing a lead she wouldn’t relinquish. โคFouquenet secured second place, while Alvarado, making her season debut after recovering from a kneeโ injury, finished third.
“It was hard,” Fouquenet saidโ after the race, describing โthe battle for theโ podium. “I think I am strong in the hard part, but on the technical part I am not the best. I lost some wheels on the technical part and then after I try to push with the โgap. So yes, it was a hardโ battle. Aniek wasโข strong today,so I just โbattled for the second โplace.”
Alvarado expressed satisfaction with her result, given her recent injury and limited preparation.โ “I think I can be very โฃhappy with today.Iโข suffered a lot and it was a hard race for โme,so I think โfor today a third place was the maximum,” she stated.She also reported positive signs โขregarding her knee, adding, “I think it is indeed gone now and it is okay. Maybe sometimes I โwill โฃfeel โคsomething, but I think it will be fine.”
Van alphenโฃ now leads theโ World Cup standings with 61โ points,12 ahead of Fouquenet. Her win was aided by the absence of โroundโค one winner Lucindaโ Brand and runner-up Sara Casasola. The seriesโฃ continues next weekend in Terralba, Sardinia.
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