Solid FENIX-Deceuninck performance at Superprestige Gullegem
Four FENIX-Deceuninck riders lined up at Telenet Superpestige Gullegem and all delivered top and strong performances. Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado earned a hard-fought third place in a race that saw her leading the first four laps. Her teammates Yara Kastelijn, Puck Langenbarg and Marthe Truyen finished 8th, 10th at 11th respectively.
With these results, Alvarado slipped by one point to second place in the Superprestige standings. The series’ winner will be decided in the eight and final race in Middelkerke, which will take place on February 8.
Puck Pieterse wins X20 Trofee Duinencross Koksijde
A nearly perfect race in the sands dunes of Koksijde led Puck Pieterse to a spectacular solo victory, her first of the season. She dominated the X20 Trophy course from the start, steadily incrementing her lead after the first lap and a half.
The 22-year-old FENIX-Deceuninck rider crossed the finish line 20 seconds ahead of Lucinda Brand (Baloise Glowi Lion) and almost 40 ahead of Fem Van Empel (Visma | Lease a Bike).
“I felt great on the bike today. My form has been improving over the past races, and I’m incredibly happy to win again! I think I’m slowly getting ready for the championships,” said Pieterse.
Her teammate Marthe Truyen finished in 8th place, after only her 6th race of the season.
Puck Pieterse starts the year with a podium!
X2O Trofee Baal GP Sven Nys, the first CX race of 2025, saw Puck Pieterse cross the finish line third. She had a perfect start and led the race before a crash set her back.
“This was the first cross (race) where I felt like a cyclocross rider again. I could compete for the win, and I think it was one of the most exciting races so far. I got sick after Gavere, so I didn’t know how it would go today. But apparently lying in bed all day did my form good,” said Pieterse.
Baal also marked the FENIX-Deceuninck debut of Puck Langenbarg, who signed a four-year contract with the team. At 18 years old, the reigning European junior road champion will continue developing her skills while combining cyclocross and road racing.
Ceylin Alvarado’s 9th victory of the season in Mol
Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado is on fire! Braving the rain and the cold, the FENIX-Deceuninck rider won in the sands of Superprestige Zilvermeercross in Mol, Belgium, with 34 seconds over Dutch national champion Lucinda Brand. This was her ninth victory of the season, and the second of the week after the World Cup in Zonhoven.
“I am very happy,” Alvarado said, who has won four our of five races of the Telenet Superprestige series, which she leads with 72 points. “I heard that Brand had fallen, but she wasn’t running that far at that point, so I thought for sure she would still be able to catch up. She didn’t, so that was the moment for me to open the throttle.”
Her teammates Yara Kastelijn and Marthe Truyen, who started their short CX season over the weekend, finished 9th and 14th respectively. Overall, strong results for the team.
The next Superprestige race ius scheduled on December 30th in Diegem, Belgium.
Ceylin Alvarado conquers the sand in Zonhoven
Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado won her second World Cup race of the season in a spectacular comeback in Zonhoven, Belgium. A hard-fought end with Zoe Bäckstedt and Lucinda Brand, who she caught up with in the second half of the race.
The Dutch FENIX-Deceuninck rider, who was sick the day before during a race in Hulst, was surprised with her eighth victory of the season. “I was feeling very cold during the first two laps today, then I picked up the pace and naturally warmed up,” Alvarado said in an interview. “Today is not yesterday, when I vomited out everything in me twenty minutes before the race in Hulst. I didn’t expect to win today, so that’s an even better victory.”
Her teammates Puck Pieterse and Marthe Truyen finished fifth and 32nd, respectively.
Podium for Puck Pieterse in Hulst
Puck Pieterse earned a hard-fought third place at the UCI Cyclocross World Cup in Hulst. “In the first half of the race I kept coming back, but then I made another stupid mistake, after which I had to chase again. That cost me a bit too much energy,” said the 22-year-old Dutch rider in an interview.
Pieterse, who crossed the finish line behind Marie Schreiber and Lucinda Brand, considered Hulst a “good start” of her season while recognizing that “there are still some things to work out.” This World Cup was the second race of her intense and short season, which will end with the Cyclocross World Championships in Liévin, France, on February 1st.
Annemiek van Vleuten joins FENIX-Deceuninck as performance mentor
A year after retiring, Annemiek van Vleuten is returning to professional cycling as a performance mentor for FENIX-Deceuninck. The announcement was made by the Belgian team during a press conference hosted in FENIX Scenario in Milan.
“I’ll observe the athletes and work closely with them and their coaches to reach their maximum potential. I became who I am through a laborious process of trials and errors, gradually building greater confidence in myself. The role I’ll represent for FENIX-Deceuninck cyclists aims to accelerate this process for each of them,” explained Van Vleuten.
The 42-year-old former pro rider said that in the final years of her career she knew she wanted to work with professional athletes and cyclist. “When Philip Roodhooft approached me about joining FENIX-Deceuninck, I was surprised but quickly impressed by the professionalism and their commitment to both performance and the human side of the sport.”
“This year, I experienced observing cycling from the other side as TV commentator. Now I have, ina small way, the opportunity to put my experience at the service of the growth of the women’s movement, perfectly embodied by FENIX-Deceuninck, whose professionalism and management by Philip Roodhooft I really appreciate. Women’s cycling is growing strongly, now there’s even the Professional category and quality is less and less concentrated in a few teams. It will be fun, and we’re here for it!”
Known for her unmatched mindset and professional approach, the former two-time World Champion will guide riders to achieve their full potential. Her expertise and leadership will be pivotal in refining both individual and collective performances, as FENIX-Deceuninck continues to compete at the highest level.
In her 16-year-long career, Van Vleuten won 104 races, including two road and two TT World Championships, four Giro Donne, one Tour de France Femmes and La Vuelta Femenina.
FENIX extends sponsorship until the end of 2027
“We are proud to extend our partnership with FENIX-Deceuninck, supporting their growth and success. Their commitment to excellence and innovation reflects FENIX’s values, making this collaboration a perfect match for shared aspirations,” said Stefano Mion, CEO of Arpa Industriale, the company that created FENIX.
FENIX commitment as main title sponsor has been renewed until at least the end of 2027. “This long-term commitment provides a strong foundation for continued investment in the team’s growth and organizational development,” added Philip Roodhooft, general manger of FENIX-Deceuninck during a press conference hosted in FENIX Scenario in Milan.
The team’s dedication to process improvement and fostering an environment that enables consistent top performances aligns seamlessly with FENIX’s philosophy, which focuses on innovation, technology, and excellence.
FENIX’s timeless color palette will, once more, differentiate the team from peloton. Together with new kit sponsor Alé, FENIX-Deceuninck will have new striking designs. In addition to the iconic Verde Comodoro and the established team blue, the 2025 season will introduce Rosso Namib as new color.
Thanks to the UCI’s allowance to switch outfits up to three times per year, all three colors will appear at different moments throughout the season, both in and around the peloton.
Alvarado takes silver in the CX European Championships
With a strong performance and a hard-fought race, Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado crossed the finish line second at the European Cyclocross Championships in Pontevedra, Spain. A nail-biting final sprint ultimately won by two-time world champion Fem van Empel.
“Played my cards, result was bittersweet. Sometimes the gamble doesn’t pay off, but the grind was worth it,” wrote the 26-year-old Dutch rider in an Instagram post. While it wasn’t the outcome she expected, Alvarado said she was happy with the work done.
Alvarado went full-throttle through out the 3,350-meters long circuit. “I tried to make it difficult for everyone. I think that I really succeeded towards the end, but in the end, it is all about whether you have a sprint or not. And there was someone with a better sprint,” she said in a post-race interview.
Victory for Ceylin Alvarado at Superprestige Ruddervoorde
What a spectacular second week of the cyclo-cross season for Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado. After an opening podium at Exact Cross Beringen, the FENIX-Deceuninck rider won both Kermiscross Ardooie and Superprestige Ruddervoorde.
“A less season opener with a few mechanicals but ending the first week with a hard-fought victory made up for it. Grateful for a good week of racing,” Alvarado wrote on an Instagram post, where she acknowledged that it felt great “to have such a good start after some hectic and uncertain months.”
At Kermiscross Ardooie, the Dutch rider secured a solo victory after launching a decisive attack on the third lap. In an impressive show of strength and speed, she crossed the finish line 28 seconds ahead Marion Norbert Riberolle (Crelan-Corendon) and 48 seconds in front of Alicia Franck (De Ceuster-Bowpunt).
Three days later, Alvardo won the first round of the Telenet Superprestige series. What a race! She dominated the course along Fem van Empel (Team Visma-Lease a Bike, Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek Lions) and Sara Casasola (Crelan-Corendon). Not even a fall on the second to last lap deterred her focus. She was explosive uphill and sped through the sand sections, which allowed her to dash for the finish line ahead of Van Empel and Brand.
