The Snow Queen has no intention of abdicating. Fem Van Empel, a twenty-year-old Dutchman from S'Hertogenbosch, a town in North Brabant known for cyclo-cross (it hosted two editions of the European Championships, 2018 and 2020) and for tennis, is a girl with clear ideas.
Source: press release
Suddenly catapulted into the elite of world cycling thanks to the success achieved last year in the snow of Val di Sole, at the end of a heart-pounding last lap that saw her get the better of the legend Marianne Vos, the Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal rider has every intention of repeating herself Saturday December 17 a Vermilion, At the tenth stage of Cyclocross World Cup.
“My form is good, I can't wait for the Val di Sole stage to arrive”, began the Dutch, leader of the World Cup and already winner of five races. – “Last year in Vermiglio I obtained the first important victory of my career among the Elites, made even more special by the presence of snow and the duel with Marianne, a memorable moment followed by many people with enthusiasm. It was a unique race that left a distinctive mark on the history of cyclo-cross."
In 2021, Van Empel proved to be at ease in the more technical passages of the ring sondro: an ability to adapt to a new and insidious surface that surprised rivals and insiders. “There is no specific technique to win on the snow”, admitted the world championship among the U23s in 2021. – “It was a first time for all, we faced a race that presented totally different dynamics from the others. I tried to pedal trying to avoid changes in trajectory as much as possible. In addition, it is essential to have steady nerves in difficult moments and always stay focused. Then you need a bit of luck, which never hurts”.
Despite her good results also in Mountain Bike, Fem Van Empel dreams, like many of her colleagues, of making her debut at the Olympics by competing in her most loved discipline: cyclo-cross. It is no mystery that the World Cup stage in Val di Sole is strategic in view of a possible future entry of this discipline into the Winter Olympic Games programme.
“Especially in this variant, our specialty would have all the credentials to be welcomed at the Winter Olympic Games. Cyclocross is still practiced in relatively few countries, with Belgium and the Netherlands leading the global movement. I think it will take some time but I believe this project represents an extraordinary opportunity to give space and visibility to a highly spectacular sport”.
The program of the cyclo-cross World Cup in Val di Sole will start Friday December 16 with the free tests, from 14.00 am to 16.00 pm, in view of the competitions of Saturday December 17 anticipated by another session of free tests (from 10.45 am to 12.45 pm). Proof Elite women will start at 13.00, followed by that Elite Men at 14.30pm. Following (16.00 hours) the rider party with music and lots of fun. THE Tickets for Saturday they are on sale instead www.valdisolebikeland.com.
