Flawless Van Empel triumphs in X2O Trophy in Herentals and takes sixth win of the season
Fem van Empel has won the fourth manche of the X2O Badkamers Trofee. On the tricky course in Herentals, the 22-year-old rider from Team Visma | Lease a Bike reached the finish line solo, after getting away from her competitors on the penultimate lap. Van Empel took her sixth win of the cyclo-cross season.
From the start, Van Empel immediately showed the aspirations she had come to Herentals with. The reigning European champion went up the famous Skiberg first and only saw Lucinda Brand, Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado and Annemarie Worst following in her. On the penultimate lap, Van Empel distanced herself from her competitors, after which she was able to ride unthreatened to the finish.
"On a course like this, it was key to keep the pressure on all the time."
"I am super happy with this. I've been working hard in recent weeks, so then it's nice when you see results right away", Van Empel said. "On a course like this, it was key to keep the pressure on all the time. I thought: if I go full on every climb, I will push the others to a gap. It was important to enter the descent first, so you could follow your own line. Because it was slippery, a mistake is easily made. Fortunately, it all went well today."
Van Empel, who has just finished a training camp on the road, will be back in action tomorrow at the World Cup in Namur.
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