Fem van Empel considering direct jump into Elite category following tremendous start to season - "We have to think about that carefully"
Cyclocross
Fem van Empel had shown great signs last season, but has entered the 2022-2023 season with a set of storming performances, and she is currently pondering over the possibility of riding the World Championships at Elite level instead of her under-23 position.
"If things continue to go well, the elite category is also an option," van Empel told De Telegraaf before this Sunday's race in Meulebeke. "But you can't go back to the under-23 status after that, so we have to think about that carefully. Fortunately, we still have some time to make that decision".
At a very recent 20 years of age, van Empel is well within the under-23 field, which in itself is highly competitive in the women's ranks. The Dutch rider had won the Val di Sole and Flammanville World Cups at Elite level last year, but couldn't reconsolidate her world title in Fayetteville.
However, with two seasons riding an almost complete Elite schedule, the Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal rider is perfectly aware of what to expect. She can ride the under-23 World Championships once again, but is considering already making the definite jump to Elite level where she has already established herself.
This year she's won the opening two crosses in Belgium at Kruibeke and Beringen, and she finished second yesterday in Meulebeke, losing out in the final sprint to Lucinda Brand.
“I’d rather finish second this way by taking initiative than winning again in a sprint," she said after the race however, hinting that she had the legs to win the race. "Maybe it was a mistake, but i see this race as a preparation. I have my learning points for next week."
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
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Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
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- Schreiber won. UCI please admit your fault and correct result.averagecyclist10-11-2026
- She deviated from her line - end of
leedorney10-11-2026 - If I was Lucinda Brand, I'd refuse to wear the jersey. Is there a rule that she "has to" wear it, as the winner? It would certainly feel like stolen valor.wrsty10-11-2026
- but don't let your socks be too long or handlebars be a cm too narrow.mij10-11-2026
- Saw a casual interview with Geraint Thomas and him a few years ago. Seems like a nice laid guy and I wish him well.GregT10-11-2026
- Ernesto Maggioni - The president of the commissaires Mafia. It is getting evident that this guy is basically "Iamalwaysrightandyouarestupidsoiwontlistentoyou" kind of guy. So fire him so that he can be always right in his homeabstractengineer10-11-2026
- Somehow it has got into his mind that he is a GC rider. He is primarily a classics and stage rider who can perform on GC given his day. As a result he is wasting his time on TDF GC and once committed to GC you are too tired to do anything else.abstractengineer10-11-2026
- 🐐❤️Lozza09-11-2026
- This is such a black eye to women's professional cyclocross if this result remains. Marie Schreiber won this race fairly. This finish is not unlike others in cyclocross. Lots of moving around to get to the finish not to cut anyone off , but to generate a sprint on soft wide tires caked with mud and sand. This is not nearly the same as a road race between two riders sprinting to the finish on faster bikes and thinner firmer tires. The powers in charge need to use some common sense, reverse this result and remember this is Cyclocross not Road racing. Unbelievable. . .Zencycle09-11-2026
- Tis beyond your comprehension fine sir so best not to look on with blind eyes to THE GOATS greatness.
Brucegel09-11-2026
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Are we getting another duel? 👀🍿 Van Empel ⚔️ Brand #FightToTheFinish
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