Van Empel set the pace right from the start. The Dutch rider quickly took the lead on the challenging track, opening up a wide gap on the first lap of the muddy course. Lap after lap, Van Empel extended her lead to over a minute. In the end, she won the cyclocross world championship for the second time.

"The intention was to make the difference quickly", sports director Jan Boven explained. "We knew from this morning's race that the field entry could be chaotic. A fast start allowed Fem to be one of the first in the field and to ride her own lines immediately. As a result, she quickly built up a gap that she was able to increase throughout the race by not making any mistakes."

"I had a perfect run-up", the 21-year-old said. "I felt pretty relaxed the last few days. I was confident, and I knew that this track would suit me. I got to the front quickly after the start and quickly realised that only a material failure could stop me from winning."

With eighteen wins in twenty races, the young rider has had a great cross season. "The season has been a complete success for me. It's a great feeling to finish my season like this; it's a great feeling to become the world champion for the second time. If that's not a successful season, I don't know what is."