Starting from the second row, Van Empel got off to a fast start on the sandy Antwerp track. The reigning European and world champion was third on the grid and, together with Brand, quickly opened up a gap on the rest of the field. When Puck Pieterse joined them halfway through the race, a three-way battle seemed likely, but Van Empel was having none of it.

The youngster accelerated on the fifth lap and gradually pulled away from her compatriots. With an eighteen-second lead over Brand, Van Empel coasted to her third World Cup victory. "It took some getting used to, but during the race, I gained more and more confidence and felt stronger and stronger. I am thrilled with this win."

Van Empel also owed her victory to the jumps. It was the first time she had jumped over the barriers in competition. "I practiced a lot on Wednesday, and I'm happy that I was able to make a difference today because the barriers followed each other quickly and were conveniently placed on the straight", she said.

According to Van Empel it is good that the competition is getting closer. "The closer the level, the higher the level at the end. I like the battle, and it is also great for the spectators to see."

Van Empel has a busy cyclocross schedule in the final week of 2023. She will race in Gavere on Tuesday, 26 December, in Heusden-Zolder on 27 December and in Hulst on 30 December.