In a fiercely contested two-rider sprint, Fem van Empel (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) won the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup in Waterloo, Wisconsin, beating Ceylin Carmen del Alvarado (Alpecin-Deceuninck) to claim the opening round of the 14-race series.
"One word, 'wow'," was how Van Empel described her feelings after the third World Cup win of her young career. "The last round was a sprint. Today I knew I could attack on the last part of the course and maybe I took a chance. Lucinda and Ceylin were very close. It was a goal [to win] and I achieved it," she told Cyclingnews at the finish.
Article continues belowVan Empel was part of a five-rider select group that emerged on the opening lap after Brand slid out and caused a split. On the dusty, fast course, she helped push the pace along with her teammate Denise Betsema, Alvarado, Inge Van der Heijden and Annemarie Worst (777).
Alvarado attacked to split that group after Brand fought her way up, and soon there were only three in front: the trio who would populate the podium, although Betsema and Worst briefly rejoined.
Brand and Van Empel staged a battle midway through the final lap but the European champion was lacking after her fight back to the front and could not match her younger compatriots who dashed away to contest the sprint for the victory.
"It was the plan to go with the last lap. Lucinda also go full gas. It was a very fast course. I gave everything and I am happy," the 20-year-old winner added at the finish.
"Last season I worked harder than ever before so I am happy I could finish it off today. It was a long trip but I was very fit at the start line. The smile was on my face all day."
Van Empel beat Alvarado to the last corner, and the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider couldn't come past. However, it was a great result for Alvarado after last season's struggles with her form.
"I was hoping for it. I think me and my family and trainer saw it coming. I'm happy that it came out today," Alvarado said of her regained fitness.
"It was a hard race form the start to the end. I'm happy of course, it's my first podium of the season, so I'm happy about that, but I lost the sprint so a bit of a setback there," Alvarado said. "I lost to Fem and it's not a shame."
Brand admitted that the race was not her best effort. "I was totally blocked - and I also crashed in the first lap and it was hard to come back. It wasn't what I was looking for but I did all I could."
Betsema held on for fourth, with Worst leading Van der Heijden in for fifth and sixth. Of the large US contingent, Clara Honsinger was the highest placed in seventh.
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