Fem van Empel (Visma-Lease a Bike) made it three successive victories on the UCI World Cup Antwerpen, with one other commanding efficiency on the Cyclocross World Cup opener.
Simply as she did yesterday to win the Precise Cross Kortrijk, the world champion spent a lot of the race in entrance alone, having gone clear on the second lap.
Marie Schreiber (SD Worx) )was the one rider to stick with Van Empel for a sustained interval, however made some errors digging deep to attempt to maintain her wheel. She misplaced contact on the second lap, and went on to complete third after being handed by Lucinda Model (Lidl-Trek) through the third lap.
Van Empel described the keys to successful at the moment as “Focus for the entire race, and journey a gradual tempo,” when requested within the post-race interview. “It was fairly arduous at the moment with the wind, and in addition with the sand elements. I did a great job.”
“The headwind was fairly arduous. Behind me there have been a number of small teams, I stored preventing to the end, and I’m actually completely satisfied.”
The efficiency showcased Van Empel in distinctive type as she embarks on her World Cup marketing campaign, and he or she intends to journey the Dublin leg subsequent Sunday and Namur the next fortnight, although will skip Cabras-Sardinia the week in between.
Behind Van Empel in second place was Lucinda Model, who rued a gradual begin.
“I attempted my greatest to begin as quick as attainable,” Model defined. “It’s very brief and was not simple. I believe it was not super-bad, however it will possibly at all times be higher. Then it’s actually arduous to go, and my sand sections weren’t the most effective, so as a substitute of shifting up I misplaced a couple of locations.
“The primary two [Van Empel and Schreiber] had a niche already by the point I might lastly transfer up, and I by no means might shut it anymore.
“I attempted to remain calm and to verify I had house to go via, as a result of I knew that in the event that they possibly made one mistake,and also you do it excellent, then you possibly can come again. However within the entrance they did it excellent as properly. Fem simply was robust, as a result of as soon as she was forward, she contained her hole.”
Against this, Schirber had a lightning quick, and really led the race for the primary half, earlier than Van Empel introduced her again on an particularly tough sand stretch on the primary lap.
“I had a super-good begin, after which I cracked a bit within the second and third laps. When Lucinda got here I couldn’t observe, however in the direction of the tip I had a great tempo, and I didn’t make any errors, so I might hold the third place.”
“I believed I might simply cling on [to Van Empel] for so long as I can, after which sadly on the sand I made a giant mistake, and he or she was gone. I by no means acquired again. I additionally suppose I went somewhat bit over the restrict making an attempt to observe her as a result of after that I cracked a bit. I believe I used to be past the restrict as a result of I made some errors. Within the sand, should you’re actually in your restrict, you begin to make errors.”
Behind Schriber, Sara Casasola (Hess Biking Group) attacked away from Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Alpecin-Deceuninck) on the ultimate lap to win a closely-fought battle for fourth-place, whereas Blanka Vas (SD Worx) and Zoe Bacstedt (Canyon-SRAM) positioned sixth and seventh respectively.
