Reigning cyclocross world champion Fem van Empel had a weekend marred with crashes and incidents as she finished fourth in Hoogerheide and sixth the previous day at Maasmechelen. The Visma-Lease a Bike rider called Sunday's effort an ‘off day’.
The 22-year-old was in the podium fight at Hoogerheide before sliding out on a slippery corner and riding 53 seconds after Lucinda Brand (Baloise Glowi Lions) took victory, leaving Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck) and Blanka Vas (SD Worx-Protime) to take the other spots on the podium.
“The feeling was much better than yesterday. I came back strong and rode well until the crash," Van Empel said.
“Of course, it would’ve been nicer if it had been a great weekend, but I’m feeling good and very confident heading into next week’s World Championships."
As a consolation prize, Van Empel took runner-up honours in the World Cup series with 276 points, well behind Brand but holding a 23-point advantage over Vas after the 11th and final race.
There really wasn't a lot of celebration for Visma-Lease a Bike, as the doubleheader of racing proved to be more subdued with the crashes. Van Empel's teammate Marianne Vos, an eight-time 'cross world champion, suffered crashes at Maasmechelen, finishing 13th, which was her best finish of just four World Cup starts, and in Hoogerheide.
On Sunday, Vos pulled out at Hoogerheide when she experienced calf pain from a fall in the first lap. The team stated "over the next few days, her recovery will be closely monitored" for a start next weekend.
Vos was hoping to pick up key ranking points to improve her gridding position for next weekend at Liévin but had another crash in the mud on Sunday. The Dutch rider will now have to battle through the field at the elite women's race next Saturday if she is going to be in medal contention.
"It is what it is," Vos told Wielerflits. "At Maasmechelen I didn't move up right away. Then it is really difficult. It really becomes a fight. I actually got into my rhythm well, so I was very happy there.
“Of course, you just hope for a good start there [in Liévin]. But if I started on the front row, it wouldn't change much about my ambitions.
“Although of course you have to be realistic: if you can't go straight to the top ten from the first lap, it's a big effort to get there."
Vos also had a message for her young teammate Van Empel, who is hoping to defend her world title in the elite race at age 22.
"No matter how young she is, she already has quite a bit of experience," Vos said.
“She has also shown in recent weeks, months and years what she is capable of. At Maasmechelen it wasn't quite easy, but she just has to stay calm. The form is there. She just has to ride her own race next week."
Van Empel was ready for the challenge. One of her top competitors will be Vas, the Hungarian rider emerging from the weekend as an outside favourite for a historic first women’s world cyclocross title for her country.
“There are a lot of girls in good shape at the moment, so I expect an exciting battle," Van Empel said about the next weekend in Liévin.
“The coming days will mainly be about recovery to ensure I’m fresh at the start in France on Saturday.”
