Fem van Empel also won the second World Cup competition in Fayetteville, USA. The 20-year-old from Brabant defeated compatriots Lucinda Brand and Annemarie Worst in a long sprint.
It is the second win in a row for Van Empel in the World Cup. A week earlier she won the first cross in Waterloo, ahead of Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado and Brand.
Van Empel and Brand entered the final round with Annemarie Worst right behind them. The three riders all tried to attack in the last lap, but it ended in a sprint. Brand went from afar in this, but 20-year-old Van Empel was clearly the fastest.
Shortly behind the trio, Denise Betsema finished fourth, ahead of Inge van der Heijden and Alvarado. The number two from a week earlier had to deal with material failure. The first time she was able to come back, the second time she couldn’t.
,,It’s great to come to the United States and take two victories,” said Van Empel, who also won in Beringen and Kruibeke. ,,My legs were not so good at the end, but I was able to recover in the descent. It was exciting in the last corners, but I’m going home with a good feeling.”
The still young van Empel is currently the cyclocross rider to beat. ,,I sometimes surprise myself, but I can’t forget how hard I worked for it this summer. Last year I went home a bit disappointed here,” she said about her third place at the World U23 Championships. ,,I think I took good revenge today. You can always make mistakes, as long as you fix it next time.”
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