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World Champion Fem van Empel (Visma-Lease a Bike) gained the X20 Badkamers Trofee race in Herentals, benefitting from the errors of others to win the race a second 12 months operating.
After each crashed within the second half of the race, Lucinda Brand (Trek-Baloise Lions) and Ceylin Alvarado (Fenix-Deceuninck) sprinted for second place. Dutch champion Brand was strongest, ending forward of Alvarado and Annemarie Worst (Cyclocross Reds).
Van Empel’s win comes after a interval of relaxation and coaching as she gears up not solely to defend her world title, but in addition for a full season on the highway for Visma-Lease a Bike.
“It was excellent, yeah. I labored very laborious the final weeks and to win right here in Herentals is tremendous,” Van Empel stated within the TV interview after the end.
“The emotions have been good in the present day. It’s at all times laborious work right here…I knew I needed to put strain on the remainder of them. And I knew I needed to put strain on on the climb.”
The course in Herentals is difficult and technical, however Van Empel was in a position to make use of her bike-handling expertise to realize a bonus over her rivals.
“If you could be first into the descents you possibly can decide your individual line. It was day for me, I did not make any errors,” she added.
How it Unfolded
Early on, combating by way of a course coated in claggy mud, the race’s three favourites broke away from the remainder of the sphere. World Champion Fem van Empel, Ceylin Alvarado and Lucinda Brand confirmed their class, with some resistance from Annemarie Worst.
The 4 stayed collectively till Brand put in a powerful acceleration on lap three of 5, initially distancing all of her companions earlier than Van Empel reeled her in. Just behind, Alvarado had an incident within the pits, crashing and unseating her chain, seeing a seemingly insurmountable hole open up in entrance of her.
As Worst steadily closed down the main duo, Brand fell awkwardly on a technical, muddy climb, leaving Van Empel alone within the lead, 5 seconds away from Worst with Alvarado chasing alongside Brand.
During the ultimate lap, Brand and Alvarado caught a battling Worst as they pursued the World Champion, who was stretching out her lead. The pair continued a powerful tempo, giving Worst some hassle in staying in contact.
Van Empel stayed sturdy to take a cushty win in Herentals, repeating her victory from 2023. 19 seconds later, Brand out-sprinted Alvarado and Worst to take the runner-up spot in a Dutch 1-2-3-4.
Results