Fem van Empel: "My main goals at the moment are the World Cup and the World Championships"
Cyclocross
Fem van Empel has had a superb breakthrough season. With several of her goals already accomplished, she looks to end the season on a high with victories at the World Cup and World Championships.
"Nah, it was a bit of everything. Out of precaution, but also because of that fall. I didn't have a good feeling and little control during the reconnaissance, after which I noticed at a certain point that I only lost a few seconds when I ran fast," van Empel told In de Leiderstrui following her third place in the dramatic Zonhoven race where she crashed harshly on the opening lap.
It was a good outcome after a difficult start that could see her World Cup lead at risk. Following her abandon and subsequent injuries following her crash at Val di Sole, her schedule has become less packed, and her lead in the competition became slimmer against Puck Pieterse.
Her lead is of 35 points now to her compatriot, with two rounds left in Benidorm and Besançon. "My main goals at the moment are the World Cup and the World Championships, where the European Championship was previously the goal," she admits.
Her victory in Namur was dominant, but as the season evolves the likes of Pieterse and Shirin van Anrooij have given van Empel a hard time in the crosses. She's looking to finish a brilliant season by consolidating her achievements and seeking to keep the rainbow jersey within Jumbo-Visma.
"I have to see how I recover from my knee injury and a cold, but if everything is right I will be at the start with ambition. I'm not necessarily afraid of those inconveniences, but it shouldn't get any worse. I know I can't always control it, but it's just a shame if you have a setback when you're in good shape," she said.
“There are enough impressions, it is a huge team with a lot of ambition," she said of her new outfit, alongside idol and current World Champion Marianne Vos. "Jumbo-Visma radiates a lot. They support me super and I have a lot of confidence in them, it already feels very familiar. I think it only goes well if you have that feeling with your team, so I'm looking forward to what's to come."
"Actually only the material I ride on, that is of course a big change. The entourage has remained the same in the post and at start/finish, but some other people have been added around it. However, we already knew most of the people, so I can say that the transition went smoothly," the Dutch talent concluded.
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.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
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)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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