World champion dominates first cyclocross race of season: "You know that you can have bad luck on this course"
Cyclocross
The cyclocross season is officially underway, and Fem van Empel wasted no time making her mark. The 22-year-old, two-time cyclocross world champion from Visma-Lease a Bike, secured a dominant solo victory in the opening round of the Exact Cross series at Beringen-Be-Mine Cross on Saturday.
Van Empel opened up a solo lead on the second of five laps, finishing 42 seconds ahead of former world champion Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado and over a minute ahead of 2021 world champion, Lucinda Brand.
Speaking to Wielerflits after the race, van Empel reflected on her battle with Alvarado, who made a mistake after being put under pressure. “That could be because I put her under pressure, but I don't know,” van Empel said.
“It was not easy. I think Ceylin was the strongest here. I felt rushed for the rest of the race,” van Empel added. Despite the challenging course, she stayed focused. “You know that you can have bad luck on this course. So it was just a matter of riding until the finish.”
It's a strong start to the season for van Empel, who has her sights set on securing a third cyclocross world title early next year.
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- He would still be faster on the course riding his cyclocross bike than in his Lambo!Pogboom28-12-2024
- i love the spirit of any of these younger guys who will say out loud I WANT TO TRY TO FOLLOW MATHIEU. they know plenty well what that means. vanthourenhout, eli, lars and company have kinda been beaten into submission by years trying and failing to keep up with mvdp. i feel for them, seriously. but it’s great to see younger riders show up and take their turn, full of hope.OCexile28-12-2024
- The nice thing about World Tour cycling is it never goes the way you think it ill, haha. Tadej breaking away so far out in the Worlds? Remco doubling up in Paris?
ScottG27-12-2024 - Pretty classy comments by Jonas. Makes me like him even more.ScottG27-12-2024
- MVDP is simply a cross "machine" - amazing to watch.ScottG27-12-2024
- yes, Jonas said that he had lost a little muscle mass. In the other hand, also Tadej changed his physique: thin, more lighter than ever, legs and glutes well defined (finally, no more junior legs). Both were more lighter than ever but Pogi could put more muscle in legs and glutes.
maria2024202427-12-2024 - He can keep contending for Vuelta podium spots. A lot would need to go wrong for others and everything right for him to get on the Giro podium. He'll only be on the TdF podium if he's becomes a podium presenter.Veganpotter27-12-2024
- I like that, mind if I use it from now on? Better than using his name which always gets me worried about Google hits and giving him the excuse he was bound to behave the way he did from the derived verb.Mistermaumau27-12-2024
- This website needs clicks so just vacuums up what is available and loves anything that creates discussion.Mistermaumau27-12-2024
- Their battles are only interesting or special when both are in good shape and unfortunately it’s been a few years since that was last the case, road cycling tends to put an end to most side careers, MVDP still being a rare exception.Mistermaumau27-12-2024