Fem van Empel (Pauwels Sauzen Bingoal) wins the World Cup in Waterloo(Image credit: Snowy Mountain Photography)
On the ground after a hard fought sprint where she finished second, Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Alpecin-Deceuninck) gets congratulations from winner Fem van Empel (Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal) (Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)
Inge Van Der Heijden (777) leads the women's field over the flyover for the first time.(Image credit: Snowymountain Photography)
Denise Betsema (Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal) took a turn on the front of a lead group of four women who separated themselves from the rest of the field early in the race.(Image credit: Snowymountain Photography)
Helene Clauzel (As Bike Racing), Denise Betsema (Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal), Annemarie Worst (777), Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Fem van Empel (Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal), and Inge Van Der Heijden (777) were the lead group through The Secret Bar a third of the way through the race.(Image credit: Snowymountain Photography)
Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek Lions) leads Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Fem van Empel (Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal) through a tricky off-camber turn as they descend down to the bottom of Trek Factory Hill.(Image credit: Snowymountain Photography)
Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Alpecin-Deceuninck) attacks the lead group of women solo, but was unable to establish a significant gap for very long.(Image credit: Snowymountain Photography)
Current US champion Clara Honsinger (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB) spent most of the race dangling 20-30 seconds off the back of the lead group. She finished 7th overall.(Image credit: Snowymountain Photography)
Sven Nys (Baloise Trek Lions team manager) gives thumbs up to the lead group of six that includes Lionness Lucinda Brand, reigning European champion.(Image credit: Snowymountain Photography)
U23 Women's Podium at World Cup Waterloo - winner Fem van Empel (Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal) on top step, Madigan Munro (Trek Factory Racing CX) second and Ava Holmgren (Canada) third(Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)
Elite Women's Podium for World Cup Waterloo 2022 - in centre winner Fem van Empel (Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal), second-placed Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Alpecin-Deceuninck) on far left and third-placed Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek Lions) on right(Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)
Fem van Empel (Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal) autographs the UCI leaders jersey while wearing the commemorative University of Wisconsin Badger hockey sweater that is given to the winner of each professional race at the Trek World Cup.(Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)
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.
European champion and defending World Cup winner Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek) was third.
"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.
Van 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.
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"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.
Laura Weislo is a Cyclingnews veteran of 20 years. Having joined in 2006, Laura extensively covered the Operacion Puerto doping scandal, the years-long conflict between the UCI and the Tour de France organisers ASO over the creation of the WorldTour, and the downfall of Lance Armstrong and his lifetime ban for doping. As Managing Editor, Laura coordinates coverage for North American events and global news.
