Mud, fries, fans, and Fem.

This Sunday, the rainbow stripes return to the world of cyclocross, as Fem van Empel rides her first cross of the season. The three time cyclocross world champion is lining up in Ruddervoorde, as the discipline she loves the most is back on the calendar in the coming months.

“It feels really good to return. I’m genuinely excited to race again and, most of all, to enjoy it,” Van Empel says. “That’s the most important thing for me right now - to have fun competing in the rainbow jersey and to feel that race rhythm again.”

When the start is given, and elite women sprint towards the first corner, it will be head first into a technical course with fast corners, sand sections and short ramps. Therefore, Ruddervoorde will offer Van Empel a versatile test of her form after eigth months without cyclocross races. A valuable experience to start the season with.

“I’m really looking forward to racing in Ruddervoorde, even though it’s quite a tough race,” says Van Empel, who is now fully dedicated to cyclocross. “In previous years, I got some race intensity from road competitions, which I didn’t have a lot of this time. But I don’t think it will make a big difference. I feel ready to start.”

Sports director Jan Boven has the same conclusion. He notes that even though Van Empel took a break from racing on the road this year, her starts in La Choralis Fourmies Féminine and the Dutch gravel championships were very promising. The same can be said about her preparations for the season to come.

”Fem is a true cyclocross rider, and her level in the training sessions might be even higher than last year, so she is ready. Everyone is always nervous before the first race, but we are happy to start the season,” Boven says.

In recent months, Van Empel has focused on rebuilding her endurance ahead of the intense race schedule to come. Once the season begins, recovery and high-intensity efforts dominate the weeks between races, leaving little time for long rides - so the foundation work has to be done beforehand.

“Over the past period, I’ve mainly done a lot of endurance rides to build a solid base. Long sessions that really helped me improve my stamina,” she explains. “I also added some specific cyclocross training to get the feeling back on the bike. Basically, I followed my usual plan and managed to complete everything as intended.”

Beyond the classic photos of riders covered in mud or knee deep in sand, cyclocross is known for one thing: the fans. The stadium-like fan noise you hear at every cross from Oostende to Diegem to Namur is breathtaking, and something Van Empel is looking forward to experiencing again.

“I’ve really missed the atmosphere at the races, and that unique vibe that’s always in the air,” she says. “And of course, being on the road with the team and the people who support me throughout the whole cyclocross season. That’s always something special.”

The start of the season will be exceptionally busy for Van Empel and the team around her, as four crosses within the first week truly mark the comeback of cyclocross. However, the biggest goals of the year are further down the road, sports director Boven emphasizes.

”We don’t have a specific goal for Ruddervoorde beyond getting the feeling with the tires and the different surfaces back. The big goals of the season will come after the Koppenbergcross. It will be a long season, stretching all the way to the World Championships,” he says.

Van Empel already has three World Championships and three European Championships to her name. Nonetheless, the dream of expanding the wardrobe even further lives on. Along the way, another personal goal could become very relevant however, as she is now closing in on another landmark.

”The championships are important goals, of course. I’ll do everything I can to be the best version of myself there. Another one of my goals is to reach my 50th professional victory. I’m very close, and that would be a great milestone for me,” Van Empel, who is now in 48 wins, concludes.

You can see the first part of Van Empel's cross season down below.