“I’ve missed this... It’s really nice to be back” - Fem van Empel impresses on cyclocross return after almost a year away
Cyclocross
Fem van Empel’s first race back after almost a year away ended with a sprint against Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado for fourth place. After battling through rain and mud at the Berencross in Meulebeke, the three-time world champion welcomed the reunion with the riders and spectators she had missed.
“I’ve missed the atmosphere of cyclocross. The spectators, the family feel among the riders... It’s really nice to be back,” Van Empel told Sporza afterwards.
Having put her career on hold before joining FDJ United-SUEZ, Van Empel made her competitive return in the colours of Specialized TMRW. She lined up 24th on the grid, reached the top ten almost immediately and recovered from a brief second-lap stoppage to join the pursuit of Marie Schreiber and Aniek van Alphen. “I didn’t really have any expectations beforehand,” she said. “This is a pleasant surprise.”
Schreiber escaped Van Alphen on the penultimate lap to take victory, while Lucinda Brand recovered from a crash to finish third. Van Empel held off Alvarado, who had also lost ground to an early mechanical, in their sprint for fourth.
A demanding first test in Meulebeke
A downpour before the start had changed the circuit Van Empel encountered during reconnaissance. Further rain fell during the race, with Betsema losing her early lead after twice struggling on a steep bank and then suffering bike trouble.
“The course was different from how it had been during recon and got worse with every lap. But it was a good test to start with,” Van Empel said with a laugh. “I suffered throughout the race, but I enjoyed it too.”
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Brand had passed Van Empel during her recovery from eighth with two laps remaining, leaving the returning Dutchwoman to contest fourth with Alvarado rather than a podium position.
“I think what I showed today was very positive. There are things to work on, but it wouldn’t be much fun if there weren’t,” Van Empel said. Looking ahead, she added: “The plan is to race once a week. I hope that in a few weeks I’ll be good enough to be selected for the European Championships.”
The European Championships in Zeddam are three weeks away. Dutch national coach Gerben de Knegt had watched Van Empel in training before Meulebeke and reported encouraging signs, while identifying her technique as an area still needing work. She had already expressed interest in selection, but De Knegt wanted to assess her opening races before making that decision.
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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- good to have her back. fingers crossed she‘ll be able to stay!Ketterechts17-10-2026
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- the exodus already stared with Ciccone. Already they were struggling with two sprinters, now there are three. Also Ganna will demand leadership. Gall is the most proven GC, Ayuso has the most potential. GC leadership for everybody will be impossible. Literally a UAE style mess without pogi.abstractengineer17-10-2026
- I raced as an amateur for 12 years, including six years on my country’s national road cycling team. I secured two national titles and competed in three World Championships plus more than 15 international stage races. At 23, we travelled to Italy for a training camp—or so I assumed. On a rest day, we watched a presentation about adopting a more “professional” training approach. It was crystal clear what “professional” meant. That moment first exposed me to this dilemma. After returning from Italy, I left cycling—at least at the competitive level I had known. Over the following two years, the whole team was caught doping. I hold that everyone is innocent until proven guilty. In my view, current stakeholders operate on a different scale, and the sums involved are vast. I am unsure whether any doping would ever be revealed. I try to stay positive and enjoy the show. My 2c.
vannpelt17-10-2026 - Fiver he wins 🤣
leedorney17-10-2026 - “…measures to reduce speeds.” Might as well shorten the race course to just 50km as well? ASO generates at minimum €300m a year and 30- 40% profit. Maybe stop being greedy and spend more of the profit to protect the riders instead.b3tlla17-10-2026
- he also had quite the life off the bike during his pro years. he used his celebrity status to full affect.mij17-10-2026
- Nairo and Froome’s battles were great.mij17-10-2026
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