When Cyclo-Cross Becomes a Comedy of Errors
Date: Sunday, October 20, 2024
The Battle for the Podium
Welcome to another epic installment of As the Mud Turns, where we watch elite athletes handle bikes like they’re trying to dodge exes at a wedding. In today’s feature, we have the cyclo-cross world champion, Fem van Empel, who, let’s be honest, seemed to have left her mojo at home. Competing in the Superprestige Ruddervoorde, she had one job: to be fabulous! Instead, it was Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado stealing the spotlight as if it were an unused Netflix password!
A Day of Low Concentration
After the event, Van Empel didn’t mince words—she was as focused as a squirrel in traffic. “It was not my day; I had little concentration,” she confessed. Ah, yes! We’ve all been there. One moment you’re confident, and the next moment—bam, you’re staring into space wondering if your shoes match the sofa. But credit where it is due, Van Empel displayed a glimmer of determination despite her not-so-stellar performance. “I did have a good last lap,” she said. “That shows I don’t give up easily… or at least I save my energy for the final stretch like someone with unresolved commitment issues!”
The Queen of the Mud
Meanwhile, Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado was busy proving that she could dominate in any weather condition. “Mud, wet, dry, fast—it doesn’t matter to me,” she chirped, and honestly, she might just single-handedly be keeping the swamp business afloat! Alvarado had her fair share of drama during the race, battling it out with Brand and Van Empel while juggling tactical maneuvers like a circus performer on a unicycle.
Embracing the Slip-Up
Speaking of drama, let’s address Lucinda Brand’s “stupid mistake” in the final straight line, because apparently, even elite athletes can have brain farts. Ever heard of looking before leaping? Brand thought she had it in the bag until Van Empel swooped in like a late-night pizza delivery. “I looked back and it looked like she was no longer sprinting, but that is the stupidest mistake you can make,” Brand lamented, and I have to agree! If ‘if’ were a fifth, we’d all be winning races. But here’s a pro tip: next time, maybe keep those legs moving, eh? It’s a race, not a statue contest!
The Final Thoughts
As I wrap this up, let’s give a huge shoutout to all the competitors. Every fall, every slip-up, and every moment of sheer determination makes for a comedy of errors that even the best Netflix writers would envy. So here’s to Fem van Empel, Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado, and Lucinda Brand—keep the drama coming! Because in the world of cyclo-cross, just like in life, it’s all about the sprint to the finish, the mud on the face, and whether you remember to keep pedaling!
Sunday, October 20, 2024 at 5:48 PM
Fem van Empel competed for the podium in the Superprestige Ruddervoorde, but the cyclo-cross world champion was never in a winning position. Ultimately, Visma |. became the leader Lease a Bike came second behind winner Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado and afterwards she spoke about a striking reason: “It was not my day, I had little concentration.”
“Ceylin was extremely strong,” Van Empel said in the flash interview shortly afterwards. That concentration problem was bothering her.” That is part of it and is an area to work on for the coming races. I did have a good last lap, which showed that I don’t give up easily.”
Beforehand, the world champion was labeled as the favorite, but she could not fulfill that role. “It can always happen. I’m only human and I can’t win everything,” she says. “I’m focusing more on a little more work this period, so maybe I’m a little less fresh. But that does not alter the fact that Ceylin deservedly won today. I am not disappointed.”
For Alvarado it was already her fourth victory in Ruddervoorde. “Mud, wet, dry, fast, it doesn’t matter to me,” she laughed. “In the beginning it took some effort to get to the front and that’s where a tactical game started. The technical parts created gaps and I had to close a few gaps. Then I thought that might cost me the podium, but Lucinda’s acceleration suited me well.”
“It was broken up and I knew it was all-or-nothing. That turned out to be the case,” Alvarado said. She got rid of Brand and Van Empel and soloed to victory despite a fall. “I was really swearing, that fall was bad, but I was able to hold everyone up and then drive away again. It was all-or-nothing until the finish and it turned out well.”
‘Stupid mistake’ by Lucinda Brand
Lucinda Brand ended up in third place, because she kept her legs still in the final straight line and was passed by Van Empel on the finish line. “I looked back and it looked like she was no longer sprinting, but that is the stupidest mistake you can make,” the Dutch champion is self-critical. “Fem is absolutely right when she sees that I don’t do that. Even in my old age I can still learn…”
