Fem van Empel injured during training ride and forced to miss key World Cup weekend

As the season runs longer and longer, more cyclocross riders face difficult obstacles in injuries and illnesses. This weekend is a very important one with the World Cup races in Hulst and Zonhoven, but it will miss World Champion Fem van Empel who got hurt this week during a training ride.

Team Visma | Lease a Bike shared the unfortunate news on their social media page this Friday afternoon: "Fem van Empel fell during a recon ride this week and hit her knee. She's experiencing discomfort and, unfortunately, will not be able to start in the World Cups in Hulst and Zonhoven this weekend. Wishing you a speedy recovery, Fem!"

This past weekend saw already a disaster which threatened the 22-year old's health. After a strong win in Herentals, van Empel found many difficulties in the very technical and slippery course in Namur. In the matter of a few laps she crashed three times at least on TV broadcast and could only settle for a very modest 7th place. It was a result that saw her lose 11 points to her main rival Lucinda Brand in the cup standings (which moved her up to second), but the main strike comes this week as she will be forced to miss two races in a row, which may cement her ambitions to win the classification.

At the time being, entering the first 'double weekend' of the winter in terms of World Cup races and the famous 'Christmas block', Brand enters in front with 100 points in the lead. Fem van Empel follows with 89; whilst SD Worx duo Marie Schreiber and Blanka Kata Vas come after but already with a distant 65 and 63 points. Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado, who already missed round 2 in Dublin, is in fifth place with 61 points. Mathieu van der Poel will make his comeback this Sunday in Zonhoven, assuring the race does have one rainbow jersey at it's start.