“I am a bit nervous, but most of all, I am looking forward to it” - Fem van Empel looks ahead to her return to road racing at Gent-Wevelgem

After an incredibly impressive cyclocross season, in which she won 19 of the 21 races that she took part in, Fem van Empel is now turning her attention to road racing ahead of her first race of the season at Gent-Wevelgem as she begins her 2024 Spring Classics campaign for Team Visma | Lease a Bike.

The Dutch rider will also be on the start line of Dwars door Vlaanderen next week ahead of the Ronde van Vlaanderen that weekend and she is set to ride the Amstel Gold Race in April.

On her training ahead of her first road race of the year, Van Empel said “my preparation has been perfect. I had a good training block, and I am excited to see where I am now. It will be my first time at Gent-Wevelgem, so I am a bit nervous, but most of all, I am looking forward to it”.

On her hopes for her first race, the Dutch rider went on to say “I’m hoping I’ll be in the right position at the right time. There are a lot of top riders at the start. I am curious to see where I am in my first race of the year, and I hope to be in the front until deep into the final”.