Fem van Empel hits back with a convincing victory in Koppenbergcross

The Koppenbergcross became a prey for world champion Fem van Empel on Friday afternoon. After three cyclo-cross races without a victory, Van Empel won the prestigious one Bult van Melden to win. Lucinda Brand and Sara Casasola were allowed to take the podium, albeit far behind.

The cyclo-cross world has a busy weekend, with the Koppenbergcross on Friday and the European Championship in Pontevedra, Spain on Sunday. Yet most top riders chose to ‘normally’ start in both races. On the start list of this round in the Only Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado, who has already won three times, was missing today.

The starting shot for this cyclo-cross classic was fired at 1.40 pm. With Van Empel, Brand and Casasola we saw the three expected names immediately at the head of the race, where Kata Blanka Vas and Annemarie Worst also initially held their own well. The rest of the field soon followed further behind.

Dominant Van Empel
Brand showed himself eager early in the match. In the first round she immediately showed how much she wanted to win the Koppenbergcross for the first time in her career. The Dutch champion was given Van Empel and Casasola with her, but Casasola soon had to leave the role again. Not much later, Brand had to do that himself, after Van Empel continued in the descent after the climb of the Koppenberg.

Van Empel clearly had a very good day. The world champion systematically increased her lead, making it clear halfway through the Koppenbergcross that she was going to win. She did that with conviction. Brand eventually had to give in half a minute. The Italian champion Casasola took third place.