She sometimes made a bet, but it usually involved a special frikandel. A bet on the first cyclo-cross world title of Fem van Empel (23) got out of hand. What started with an idea ended in a mural in Den Dungen of 25 meters long. Father Paul van Empel: “After her first world title, I was as proud as a dog with seven cocks, now with eight.”
According to father Paul, the bet for the 2023 World Cup was a trigger for her daughter. “She was world champion among the juniors and moved on to the elite ladies. Before the World Championships in Hoogerheide, I tried to encourage her extra by promising a graffiti if she won gold. And that at the Dungense Bridge where we pass almost every day, near our house.”
When she won, Paul van Empel had to get to work. “I was speechless for a moment,” he says, laughing. “I wondered how I was going to do that, with a bucket and a brush? If someone saw that I wrote Fem’s name on a wall, that would have been strange.”
In the end, he didn’t have to go to the hardware store to get paint himself, but the municipality picked up the idea. After a long process of applying for permits and cleaning, artist Roy Valk was able to get to work. Valk: “I understand that it looks impressive, but for me it was not that big of a job. After five days with about two hundred spray cans and a lot of paint, I was done. The mural was secretly slightly larger than planned.”
Fem van Empel herself is very proud of the end result. “I thought it was a bit crazy to see myself like that, but it turned out fantastic. It is a very special appreciation and I hope it is also a source of inspiration for other young girls and boys who have sports dreams.”
The three-time world champion has retired from top sport since the end of 2025. After taking a break earlier that year to focus on her mental wellbeing, she returned with confidence. The comeback was short-lived, after which she quit Team Visma | Lease a Bike.
“I make maximum use of it.”
“I enjoy all the freedom and make maximum use of it,” says Van Empel. “I have been traveling a lot. I also have fun plans in the coming months. After that, I am open to everything, I am still young.”
She does not rule out a return to the sport. “It’s still too early to say. I enjoy doing a lot of things, so maybe I’ll practice another sport. I’ll see what comes my way.”
