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World Champion Fem van Empel (Visma-Lease a Bike) received the X20 Badkamers Trofee race in Herentals, benefitting from the errors of others to win the race a second yr operating.
After each crashed within the second half of the race, Lucinda Model (Trek-Baloise Lions) and Ceylin Alvarado (Fenix-Deceuninck) sprinted for second place. Dutch champion Model 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 additionally for a full season on the highway for Visma-Lease a Bike.
“It was very good, yeah. I labored very arduous 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 as we speak. It is all the time arduous 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 ready to make use of her bike-handling abilities to realize a bonus over her rivals.
“If you happen to will be first into the descents you’ll be able to decide your individual line. It was a very good day for me, I did not make any errors,” she added.
Extra to return…
The way 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 Model confirmed their class, with some resistance from Annemarie Worst.
The 4 stayed collectively till Model put in a robust acceleration on lap three of 5, initially distancing all of her companions earlier than Van Empel reeled her in. Simply 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, Model fell awkwardly on a technical, muddy climb, leaving Van Empel alone within the lead, 5 seconds away from Worst with Alvarado chasing alongside Model.
In the course of the closing lap, Model and Alvarado caught a battling Worst as they pursued the World Champion, who was stretching out her lead. The pair continued a robust tempo, giving Worst some bother in staying in contact.
Van Empel stayed robust to take a snug win in Herentals, repeating her victory from 2023. 19 seconds later, Model out-sprinted Alvarado and Worst to take the runner-up spot in a Dutch 1-2-3-4.