Fem van Empel finally has better sensations at Giro Donne: "Yes, it's starting to come together again"

After Fem van Empel had impressively conquered the cyclocross world title in Hoogerheide at the beginning of this year, many saw her win La Fleche Wallone in the spring. It turned out differently. Completely different as she explains for BD.

"After that World Championships, some things came up that didn't do me any good," is how the 20-year old Van Empel summarizes her shattered spring. A seat injury was most put forward by the rider and her Jumbo-Visma team as the core of the problem.

Another blow came when Vam Empel had to part ways with her coach Ashwin van Oorschot. "I found it difficult," she says. "It went well. Then why would you change. Saying goodbye to Aschwin certainly didn't do me any good. All the more so because I know how well I work with someone I trust. That is the case with Aschwin."

She saw her competitors from cyclocross shine on the mountain bike and on the road. "Of course I wanted that too. I should be able to do what they do. In the back of my mind I now knew I wouldn't be competing at the front. Normally I don't start with that mindset as you can imagine."

Van Empel started to resemble a bit the old Van Empel again last week at Giro Donne where she finished 11th overall. "Yes, it's starting to come together again," she grins. "It is a bit of a highlight, which I wondered if it would still light up. So yes, I surprised myself there."

For the next two weeks, she will take a rest she should have taken after Hoogerheide. "Seven days without a bike and then slowly rebuild. Maybe I will ride a few more races on the road, then the focus will be on cyclocross."