After a crash during her recon of Paris-Roubaix, which left her with a bruised knee, Van Empel decided to skip several races, including Zonhoven and Hulst.

From the moment the race in Gavere began, Van Empel seized control. Puck Pieterse was the only rider able to keep up with her. The leading duo steadily distanced themselves from the rest of the field.

In the second lap, Van Empel upped the pace. She managed to shake off Pieterse, steadily increasing her lead meter by meter. The world champion especially excelled in the running sections of the course, where her dominance was undeniable. By the final lap, Van Empel was free to solo to her seventh victory of the season without any threats.

“This win feels incredibly satisfying”, Van Empel admitted after her triumph. “I haven’t been able to do much training this past week because of my sore knee. I had no doubts, though, because I knew I could rely on my form. I’m thrilled to have taken the win on such a tough course. I’ve proven my fitness is in great shape, and I’m very happy with that.”

Her knee injury caused little trouble during the race. “I only felt it occasionally, but it didn’t bother me during the race. I made a deliberate decision to start here, and that decision turned out to be the right one”, the 22-year-old beamed.