Ethias Cross 2021 – 4 – Cyclocross Leuven [FULL RACE] (ladies)

November 15, 2020

Ethias Cross 2021 – 4 – Cyclocross Leuven, Louvain

The Ethias Cross 2020-2021 is the fifth edition of the Ethias Cross (previously Brico Cross). It takes place from September 26, 2020 in Lokeren to February 13, 2020 in Eeklo and includes eight rounds for men and women. All events are part of the calendar for the 2020-2021 men’s and women’s cyclo-cross season. Unlike other competitions, for example the Superprestige or the Cyclo-cross World Cup, no points are awarded, nor is there any general classification or overall winner.

Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Alpecin-Fenix) bounced back from a final-lap crash to win the 2020 GP Leuven on Saturday, beating Denise Betsema (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) in a two-up sprint.

The world champion fell on the grass going around a left-hand bend early on the last of seven laps of the race, which this year is the fourth round of the Ethias Cross series.

She quickly remounted and re-took her place in what was by then a five-rider lead group, along with Betsema, Lucinda Brand (Telenet Baloise Lions), Annemarie Worst (777), and Manon Bakker (Credishop-Fristads).

Those riders had emerged as the strongest after Frenchwoman Perrine Clauzel (As Bike Cross Team) had made the early running, impressively handling the steep wooded banks before fading later in the race.

Alvarado’s crash wasn’t the only dramatic moment on the final lap, as Brand, who had come through to the front after being mostly at the back of the group, crashed going down one of those banks mid-way through the lap.

The recent Jaarmarktcross winner quickly got up and kept her lead as the others adjusted their lines, and even managed to restring her chain as she ran up the next bank. However, back on the grass, Betsema surged past, and Alvarado was the only one with the power to follow.

The pair hit the pump track sections with a small lead and emerged together onto the tarmac to contest the finish. With a stronger sprint in her locker, Alvarado made no mistake and dispatched Betsema to reverse the result of the last round of the Ethias Cross from Beringen a month ago.

Brand outsprinted Worst for the final podium spot, while Bakker trailed across the line for fifth place, with a much larger gap back to the rest of the field.

Results :
1 Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Ned) Alpecin-Fenix 0:46:53
2 Denise Betsema (Ned) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal 0:00:01
3 Lucinda Brand (Ned) Telenet Baloise Lions 0:00:03
4 Annemarie Worst (Ned) 777 0:00:05
5 Manon Bakker (Ned) (Credishop-Fristads) 0:00:09
6 Perrine Clauzel (Fra) As Bike Cross Team 0:00:47
7 Kata Blanka Vas (Hun) Doltcini-Van Eyck 0:00:57
8 Fem Van Empel (Ned) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal 0:01:03
9 Yara Kastelijn (Ned) Credishop-Fristads 0:01:04
10 Laura Verdonschot (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal
11 Aniek van Alphen (Ned) Credishop-Fristads 0:01:08
12 Alicia Granck (Bel) Proximus-Alphamotorhomes-Dolcitini 0:01:31
13 Ellen Van Looy (Bel) Telenet Baloise Lions 0:01:39
14 Eva Lechner (Ita) Starcasino CX Team 0:01:41
15 Lucia Gonzalez Blanco (Spa) Nesta-Skoda-Alecar 0:01:51
16 Alice Maria Arzuffi (Ita) 777 0:02:11
17 Loes Sels (Bel) Iko-Crelan 0:02:13
18 Sanne Cante (Bel) Iko-Crelan 0:02:29
19 Maghalie Rochette (Can) 0:02:31
20 Clara Honsinger (USA) 0:02:46
21 Josie Nelson (GBr) Trinity Racing 0:02:47
22 Harriet Harnden (GBr) Trek Factory Racing 0:02:58
23 Joyce Vanderbeken (Bel) 0:03:02
24 Marlene Morel Petitgirard (Fra) Team S1neo-Graal-Bjorka 0:03:10
25 Zina Barhmoui (Swi) 0:03:12
26 Kaitlin Keough (USA) 0:03:14
27 Marthe Truyen (Bel) Telenet Baloise Lions 0:03:32
28 Lindy Van Anrooij (Ned) Starcasino CX Team 0:03:52
29 Susanne Meistrok (Ned) Proximus-Alphamotorhomes-Dolcitini
30 Ffion James (GBr) 0:04:12
31 Amira Mellor (GBr) 0:04:34
32 Esther van der Burg (Ned) Proximus-Alphamotorhomes-Dolcitini 0:04:44
33 Marine Strappazzon (Fra) Team Podiocom CC 0:04:58
34 Kione Crabbe (Bel) 0:04:59
35 Mascha Mulder (Ned) Hens-Maes 0:05:51
36 Rebecca Fahringer (USA) 0:06:38
37 Lise Van Wunswel (Bel) -1 lap
38 Sophie Wright (GBr)
39 Camille Devigne (Fra) Ardennes Cross Team
40 Julie Brouwers (Bel)
41 Aurelie Vermeir (Bel)
42 Tessa Zwaenepoel (Bel) Proximus-Alphamotorhomes-Dolcitini -2 laps
43 Laura Porhel (Fra)
44 Meg De Bruyne (Bel)
45 Laura Greenhalgh (GBr) -3 laps
46 Tine Rombouts (Bel)
47 Jana Dobbelaere (Bel)
48 Corey Coogan Cisek (USA)
49 Tinne Vermeiren (Bel)
50 Maite Barthels (Lux)
51 Michelle Geoghgean (Irl)
52 Nina Berton (Lux) -4 laps
53 Liene Meeusen (Bel)
54 Paula Diaz Lopez (Spa)
55 Eline Steenhuysen
DNF Ruby West (Can) Proximus-Alphamotorhomes-Dolcitini
DNF Maud Paptheijns (Ned) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal
DNF Julie De Wilder (Bel) Iko-Crelan