Fem van Empel has won the cyclocross World Cup Besancon with a dominant ride, defeating rival Lucinda Brand into second place and Kata Blanka Vas came home in third.
In the race where Marianne Vos returned to the cyclocross field for the first time since January 2023, it was the 22 year old Van Empel who came out with the victory. The field was stacked with talent, with only Puck Pieterse missing from the big names in the women's field.
World champion Fem van Empel made a strong start, and took the lead from Zoe Backstedt. At the end of the first lap, van Empel had a lead of 10 seconds from a group that included Backstedt and Lucinda Brand. At that stage, Vos and Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado were already half a minute behind.
With 2 laps to grow, Van Empel was firmly in control and led Brand and Kata Blanka Vas by 29 seconds. Brand then managed to get away from Vas, whilst Backstedt and Vos traded blows as they battled over fourth and fifth spots.
But in the end, there was no stopping Fem van Empel who road further and further clear to prove she is still a class above the rest of the field. Eight time world champion Marianne Vos will be happy with her return to cyclocross, as she finished in fifth. Next up for the field is the Superprestige Diegem, which takes place tomorrow.
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Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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- He is boring
leedorney08-11-2026 - To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
Dariusz08-11-2026 - Uwielbiam patrzeć, jak wyjeżdża na czoło peletonu i zaczyna się rzeź...Dariusz08-11-2026
- Yeah, unreal.
parisbound0008-11-2026 - there needs to be space in life for pointless comments!Ketterechts08-11-2026
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Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - There really was nothing in it. Schreiber was so much faster, and Brand was fighting to stay in the wheel in the sprint. Schreiber did move a bit, but to say she closed the door doesn't make sense because Brand couldn't enter it anyway, abd she wasn't impeded.Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026
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