Her flying start soon put Van Empel in the lead from the first sand and mud sections. She crashed on the third lap but could continue her solo ride. Van Empel gradually built up her lead and eventually crossed the line first at the Koksijde military base.

"I am thrilled to have won this beautiful race", Van Empel said. "The main thing was to be able to ride my own lines on this course. The fact that I was able to do that gave me a bit more confidence. That's why I started fast. After that, I was able to ride at my own pace."

Van Empel, who won her fourteenth race of the season in Koksijde, will soon leave with the team for a training camp in Spain. She will skip the Zonhoven Cross and the Dutch championships cyclocross. The world champion will be back for the start of the World Cup in Benidorm. "It has been a busy but wonderful time. Now it is time to take some time off to recover and build up for what is to come."