After missing a couple of races due to a physical problem, Fem van Empel he immediately goes back to doing what he does best: winning by dominating. The world champion achieves her second victory of the season in World Cup a Gaveretriumphing solo on a route that historically she had never loved, and where last year she had fallen during the recon. The knee problem is fully resolved, and this was seen in the many walking sections in which he was stressed, and there was nothing the opponents could do, starting with Puck Pietersewho tried to stay in contact for three laps and then gave up, finishing in third place.
Gavere World Cup 2024, the match report
Significant news in the starting list: there is none Ceylin Del Carmen Alvaradowinner of the last World Cup race, who chose to give up this event to arrive fresh in January and the decisive Superprestige races. Still absent Sara Casasolawho has not yet recovered, while Fem van Empel returns to the race, having been absent since December 15th due to a knee problem.
The world champion immediately returns to be the protagonist in one of the toughest races on the calendar, with several challenging climbs and descents and mud that makes it necessary to run a lot on foot. From the first lap a leading pair is formed with Van Empel and Puck Pietersewho finds excellent conditions for his technical skills, despite some unsuccessful exits in the last period. He follows at about ten seconds Lucinda Brandwhich got back into the running after a tiring start, together with Blanka VasWhile Zoe Bäckstedt breaks away during the second lap.
The world cup leader and the Hungarian already pay 31″ after twenty minutes of the race from the solitary leader, because in the meantime Van Empel ha staccato Pieterse in a stretch on foot, and then further uphill. The gap between the two remained between fifteen and twenty seconds for a long time, before a slide entering a corner at the start of the penultimate lap, and she had to start looking behind her. In fact, Brand has clearly separated Vas and has his sights set on second position, with his usual race improving as the minutes pass.
The world cross country champion still doesn't have the grip on the entire race and comes clearly surpassedbut on the last lap he manages to get back into contact and engage in a bit of a fight for second place with Brand. For a moment Pieterse seems able to break away again, but he pays in the second half of the track and makes a few more mistakes, settling for third position. With second place Brand remains firmly in the lead in the general classification, but at the finish line he pays 37 seconds from aelusive Fem van Empel.
The rainbow jersey shines again for the sixth victory of the season, the second in the World Cup and the first on this route. The short stop did not affect his condition, and in fact this was one of the best races of the year. For Van Empel it is also the first victory in a Christmas period which has just begun for her, and will continue on Sunday with the World Cup in Besançon.
