Fem van Empel praises mental resilience in Hulst, but: "You won't get far running on fumes"

Fem van Empel was unable to finish 2023 the way she started it. The Jumbo-Visma rider ended up fourth in the World Cup cyclo-cross race in Hulst, after Puck Pieterse, Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado and Lucinda Brand.

Through her team's official channels, Van Empel recounted her experience after the race. "I slipped out of my pedal at the start. Because of that, I fell back a few positions, which meant I had to chase right away. I did move up a couple positions, but I couldn't really get back into the groove," said the Dutch rider.

Van Empel feels "far from optimal"

Van Empel had a tough few weeks and was still feeling the effects. "I definitely don't want to use it as an excuse, but my body feels far from optimal due to various discomforts. It's a combination of a knee injury and recovering from a cold."

"At this level, you have to be one hundred percent fit to compete for the win," says Van Empel. "The competition is in good form, so you won't get far if you're running on fumes. However, I am happy with my mental resilience because I didn't give up and kept fighting."