The last round of the Superprestige was held in the Belgian town of Middelkerke.
As the town is situated at the North Sea, sand was one of today’s main challenges.
In the Superprestige classification, World Champion Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Alpecin-Fenix) held a five-point lead on European Champion Yara Kastelijn (777).
In today’s women’s race, it was Italian Champion Eva Lechner (Creafin-Fristads) with the holeshot, with the season’s best rider Alvarado in her wheel already.
It soon was U19 World Champion Shirin van Anrooij who took the lead.
After a better pass through the sand, Annemarie Worst (777) opened up a gap on Alvarado and van Anrooij.
The World Champion closed the gap, while van Anrooij was gapped. Would it once again be a duel between Worst and Alvarado?
Worst attacked the course on the third lap, and opened up a small advantage on Alvarado, who was struggling with one of her shoes. She’d later change it in the pit.
Alvarado closed the gap to Worst again, but this time, she not only brought a new shoe but Denise Betsema (Pauwels Sauzen Bingoal) along with her.
The three entered the last lap with a 19 seconds advantage on van Anrooij.
Alvarado put pressure in that last lap, but couldn’t drop Worst.
Betsema, who got dropped because of Alvarado’s efforts, returned to the front for what would be a three-rider sprint.
Worst sprinted by Alvarado to get to the last run-up before the pavement finish first, but Alvarado wouldn’t relinquish her lead as the two raced to the penultimate turn and the final run-up.
Alvarado hit the run-up first, was first back on her bike, and led it out. Worst, in a role reversal, had a chance to come around but quickly sat up.
For the third time in a row, Alvarado beat Worst in a sprint, and as Worst licked her wounds, Betsema also sprinted by.
With the win in the last round of the Superprestige, Alvarado also secured her overall win in the Superprestige classification.
“I had to change a shoe in the pit,” Alvarado said. “I hit a fence and broke my shoe. I lost quite some time with that and therefore really had to push to get back to the head of the race. I wanted to start the sprint in the first position and then give my all. I succeeded. I could keep everybody behind me.” (Translated, source: Sporza).
America’s Rebecca Fahringer (Kona Maxxis Shimano) finished 18th, Emily Werner (Amy D Foundation) 30th and Corey Coogan Cisek (Triple C Racing) 39th.
Featured photo: GP Sven Nys by Bart Hazen
2020 Superprestige Middelkerke Cyclocross Results: Elite Women
| Rank | BIB | Last Name | First Name | Country | Team | Age | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | ALVARADO | Ceylin del Carmen | NED | ALPECIN - FENIX | 22 | 0:41:34 |
| 2 | 21 | BETSEMA | Denise | NED | PAUWELS SAUZEN – BINGOAL | 27 | 0:41:35 |
| 3 | 3 | WORST | Annemarie | NED | 777 | 25 | 0:41:35 |
| 4 | 34 | VAN ANROOIJ | Shirin | NED | 18 | 0:42:09 | |
| 5 | 7 | LECHNER | Eva | ITA | CREAFIN - FRISTADS | 35 | 0:42:20 |
| 6 | 8 | KASTELIJN | Yara | NED | 777 | 23 | 0:42:44 |
| 7 | 9 | VAN LOY | Ellen | BEL | TELENET BALOISE LIONS | 40 | 0:42:51 |
| 8 | 31 | VAN DER HEIJDEN | Inge | NED | CCC - LIV | 21 | 0:42:55 |
| 9 | 35 | KAY | Anna | GBR | EXPERZA PRO CX | 21 | 0:43:03 |
| 10 | 2 | CANT | Sanne | BEL | IKO - CRELAN | 30 | 0:43:17 |
| 11 | 4 | ARZUFFI | Alice Maria | ITA | 777 | 26 | 0:43:22 |
| 12 | 37 | NORBERT RIBEROLLE | Marion | FRA | EXPERZA PRO CX | 21 | 0:43:28 |
| 13 | 11 | VANDERBEKEN | Joyce | BEL | 36 | 0:43:42 | |
| 14 | 36 | BAKKER | Manon | NED | EXPERZA PRO CX | 21 | 0:43:53 |
| 15 | 13 | SELS | Loes | BEL | IKO - CRELAN | 35 | 0:44:06 |
| 16 | 15 | GARIBOLDI | Rebecca | ITA | 24 | 0:44:08 | |
| 17 | 14 | FRANCK | Alicia | BEL | EXPERZA PRO CX | 26 | 0:44:21 |
| 18 | 10 | FAHRINGER | Rebecca | USA | 31 | 0:44:21 | |
| 19 | 17 | VERHESTRAETEN | Karen | BEL | IKO - CRELAN | 29 | 0:44:46 |
| 20 | 25 | MULDER | Mascha | NED | GROUP HENS - MAES CONTAINERS | 26 | 0:45:16 |
| 21 | 5 | KAPTHEIJNS | Maud | NED | PAUWELS SAUZEN – BINGOAL | 26 | 0:45:33 |
| 22 | 33 | TRUYEN | Marthe | BEL | TELENET BALOISE LIONS | 21 | 0:46:06 |
| 23 | 16 | VERHOEVEN | Suzanne | BEL | 24 | 0:46:13 | |
| 24 | 18 | GOOSSENS | Veerle | NED | 27 | 0:46:32 | |
| 25 | 27 | DELHAYE | Pauline | FRA | 31 | 0:46:44 | |
| 26 | 41 | PEETERS | Jinse | BEL | 21 | 0:46:44 | |
| 27 | 26 | DOBBELAERE | Jana | BEL | 24 | 0:47:52 | |
| 28 | 40 | DE WILDE | Julie | BEL | 18 | 0:48:05 | |
| 29 | 47 | STRATHDEE | Ishbel | GBR | 19 | 0:48:40 | |
| 30 | 22 | WERNER | Emily | USA | 27 | -1 LAP | |
| 31 | 29 | VAN DE PUTTE | Kim | BEL | 36 | -1 LAP | |
| 32 | 20 | PAUL | Stefanie | GER | 34 | -1 LAP | |
| 33 | 46 | VAN WUNSEL | Lise | BEL | 20 | -1 LAP | |
| 34 | 45 | ZWAENEPOEL | Tessa | BEL | 19 | -1 LAP | |
| 35 | 38 | CRABBÉ | Kiona | BEL | 19 | -1 LAP | |
| 36 | 39 | BROUWERS | Julie | BEL | 18 | -1 LAP | |
| 37 | 42 | BAELE | Lotte | BEL | 17 | -1 LAP | |
| 38 | 49 | GREENHALGH | Laura | GBR | 35 | -1 LAP | |
| 39 | 24 | COOGAN CISEK | Corey | USA | 43 | -2 LAPS | |
| 40 | 43 | DHONT | Kiona | BEL | 17 | -2 LAPS | |
| 41 | 51 | GERRITSEN | Irene | NED | 24 | -2 LAPS | |
| 42 | 48 | DE BRUYNE | Meg | BEL | 24 | -2 LAPS | |
| 43 | 44 | ROMBOUTS | Tine | BEL | 20 | -2 LAPS | |
| 44 | 30 | VERSCHUEREN | Jolien | BEL | PAUWELS SAUZEN – BINGOAL | 30 | -2 LAPS |
| 45 | 23 | GEOGHEGAN | Michelle | IRL | 38 | -3 LAPS | |
| 46 | 28 | BOONEN | Valerie | BEL | 27 | -3 LAPS | |
| 47 | 50 | BLANCHAERT | Jo | BEL | 50 | -3 LAPS |
