Home > Cyclocross

Fem van Empel wins first cross World Cup race of the season in Waterloo

Ava Holmgren the top Canadian

October 9, 2022
Share on SMS

It was a typical Dutch vs Dutch vs Dutch affair in the first elite women’s cyclocross World Cup race of the season in Waterloo, Wisconsin, USA on Sunday, with Fem van Empel earning her second career World Cup victory and taking the first elite women’s series lead. Ava Holmgren was top Canadian in 15th place and third U21 rider.

You can watch the 2022-2023 UCI Cyclocross World Cup at FloBikes.

It was a fast, dry course. The laps were very close to 3 km.

The Canadian contingent was Christiane Bilodeau, Jenaya Francis, Ava and Isabella Holmgren, Siobhan Kelly, Sidney McGill and Katelyn Walcroft.

Defending two-time World Cup champion and world champion Lucinda Brand was on the start line, but last season’s Waterloo winner Marianne Vos was not. No Belgians made the trip across the pond.

Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado claimed the hole shot but other Dutch riders swept around her. Ava Holmgren was fifth. Van Empel led the string.

Ava Holmgren (far right, light blue, #29) in the mix on Lap 1.

Van Empel, Annemarie Worst and Inge van der Heijden moved away from the others on Lap 1. Alvarado and Denise Betsema chased and caught up by end of the lap. Holmgren was ninth and McGill 15th.

The Dutch quintet tried to keep Brand 10 seconds behind on Lap 2. Van Empel continued to pull. Brand made the junction before Lap 3. Ava kept falling down the ranks, and sister Isabella was only two spots behind her.

Now a Dutch sextet, the leading group rolled Lap 3. Hélène Clauzel arrived to be the only non-Dutch rider in the gang. Betsema led over the finish line.

Alvarado attacked from the back early in Lap 4. Clauzel clung on tenaciously. Another Alvarado dig unlatched some riders and put some real estate between herself and the others. Brand and van Empel were her closest pursuers.

Alvarado’s strong attack on Lap 4 split up the leading group.

Brand and van Empel made it over to Alvarado. Later Worst and Betsema also reunited with the other Dutch riders. Behind, Isabella Holmgren had almost found her sister.

Would a big move come on the penultimate lap? Nope, just careful riding.

Brand attacked on the bell lap but the Dutch sextet stayed mostly intact. Brand, van Empel and Alvarado pushed clear. Betsema fought to come back and then Alvarado started to struggle. Van Empel and Brand exchanged some elbow DNA as the world champ fended off her competitor. Van Empel succeeded in her second attempt, and Alvarado passed Brand too, who dropped her head.

Van Empel held off Alvarado for the victory.

Isabella Holmgren outsprints American Caitlin Bernstein for 16th place.

The next round of the World Cup is next Sunday in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

UCI Cross World Cup #1 Waterloo
1) Fem Van Empel (The Netherlands/Pauwels Sauzen) 47:39
2) Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (The Netherlands/Alpecin-Deceuninck) s.t.
3) Lucinda Brand (The Netherlands/Baloise Trek Lions) +0:10
15) Ava Holmgren (Canada) +2:46
16) Isabella Holmgren (Canada) +3:01
19) Sidney McGill (Canada) +3:46
26) Jenaya Francis (Canada) +4:34
29) Christiane Bilodeau (Canada) +5:25