Fem van Empel unsure of recovery time from Val di Sole crash: "I am currently having a lot of pain in my left leg"
Cyclocross
Fem van Empel was one of the victims of yesterday's treacherous Val di Sole course, where the snow caused chaos within the Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal riders, including the leader of the women's World Cup who abandoned the race with a lot of pain.
"Bad luck. I am currently having a lot of pain in my left leg. I also feel dizzy and have some abrasions. I hope to recover soon," van Empel said in an Instagram story. The Dutch rider reportedly crashed on a descent after losing traction whilst trying to overtake a rider and layed on the floor for several minutes, later being carried out of the course by stretcher.
Signs were not good for the 20-year old, who has until now dominated the World Cup. With the Christmas block right at the door, an injury at the time being would come at a horrible time. Van Empel took a painkiller shortly after being carried out, and was able to walk to the podium to receive the World Cup leader's jersey after the end of the race.
She did not travel to the hospital in Italy, however will now upon returning to the Netherlands. Whilst it is unclear if she will have to miss racing, there is still a need to access her injuries and ongoing leg pain. Her teammate Eli Iserbyt crashed out of the men's race in similar conditions and is currently in a similar situation, with the injuries still unknown.
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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