"It is a shame that I have already ridden my last cross" - Fem van Empel ends campaign on a high with victory in Lille
Cyclocross
Fem van Empel has been far and away the brightest light in women's cyclocross this winter. On Sunday afternoon, she endured a positive end to her campaign with a victory in Lille on the X2O Trofee.
“I'm happy that I can end with a victory," Team Visma | Lease a Bike's world champion celebrated in her post-race interview. “On the one hand, it is a shame that I have already ridden my last cross, but it is also good to recharge the batteries.”
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The Dutchwoman led from the start and although her compatriot, Lucinda Brand attempted to keep things competitive, van Empel was in the end, a comfortable winner.
As she crossed the line, van Empel celebrated by making a love heart sign with her hands. This was no accident. “I wanted to thank the supporters for last season," she concludes gratefully. "That is sometimes forgotten. I'm happy to end the season with a win. It really flew by.”
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Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- 🤣🤣🤣what a headlineabstractengineer11-11-2026
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📹 Van Empel was alweer niet te stoppen, ditmaal in Lille tijdens de Soudal Krawatencross! Bekijk hier hoe de wereldkampioene ook haar laatste veldrit van het seizoen won. #X2ObadkamersTrofee #SoudalKrawatencross #krawatencross #Lille #veldrijden #cyclocross
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