Van Empel signs contract with Team Jumbo-Visma Women
In 2023, Team Jumbo-Visma Women will add six new riders, including Fem van Empel. With the arrival of this 20-year-old rider, the team is gaining a new multi-talent. Van Empel became world champion cyclocross U23 in 2021, and is Dutch cyclocross champion and Dutch mountain biking champion. Within Team Jumbo-Visma, she will also develop as a road rider.
Van Empel committed to a two-year deal. She will continue to ride in the colours of her current team, Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal, for the start of the cross season next weekend, but as of January 1st, she will ride in yellow and black.
"I am thrilled with this step”, an enthusiastic Van Empel says. "It feels like a reward for my hard work in recent years. The highest a rider can achieve is joining a World Tour squad, and I now get the chance. I'm convinced that I'll receive the best guidance here to advance, not just in terms of training and resources but also in terms of nutrition. I think that is very important. I do a lot on my own and try to do the right thing, but soon I will be certain everything is done right."
After the cross season, Van Empel will focus on road and mountain bike races. "I would like to discover what I can still achieve on a mountain bike”, the rider explains. "Team Jumbo-Visma is going to support me in that." Van Empel's schedule for next year also includes several road races, allowing her to make her debut at the World Tour level.
"I don't have much experience on the road yet, but I'm open to everything. I want to discover my qualities. I can't wait to begin riding multi-day races and spring classics. I think I’m pretty all-round. Both flat terrain and climbing hills suit me. Additionally, I have good explosiveness, so sprinting or an uphill finish should suit me too."
"Although I'm still a novice compared to Marianne Vos, I hope we can help one another in the second half of the cross season"
Van Empel's versatility and potential did not go unnoticed at Team Jumbo-Visma. Team manager Esra Tromp says her team had been eyeing Van Empel for some time. "Fem is a multi-talent. She has more than demonstrated this in recent years. Fem is fanatical, and even at an early age, she already understands exactly what she wants and needs to develop. As a team, we'll exert every effort to provide her that."
Van Empel is looking forward to teaming up with Marianne Vos in cyclocross. "Although I'm still a novice compared to her, I hope we can help one another in the second half of the cross season. After all, you are stronger together than alone.”
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