With a win in Friday’s opening round of the X2O Badkamers Trofee, the Koppenbergcross in Oudenaarde, Belgium, two-time ‘cross world champion Fem van Empel took her first C1 victory of the season. She conquered the difficult, Koppenberg-heavy course in the rainbow bands for the third consecutive season, earning the first ducky prize.
Last season Fem van Empel romped to the Trofee victory by winning the first seven rounds. She skipped the final race, which Lucinda Brand scored, securing her overall second place. This season the world champion had a C2 triumph to her name, and she hadn’t been off the podium in four contests. Brand had two victories on her 2024-25 scorecard, including the Superprestige Overijse round, and she also hadn’t been off the podium in four races.
Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado wasn’t on the starting grid.
The start wasn’t mad-paced because the cobbles climbed immediately, kicking up for Brand to lead out, van Empel and Sara Casasola sticking close. Annemarie Worst and Kata Blanka Vas tagged along. The rainbow jersey pulled the little train through the cow field. Having to clamber the Koppenberg again before the line, the first passage of the steep, 2.8-km course was 11:19. It was muddy enough that Brand and van Empel changed bikes after cresting seven second ahead of Casasola.
Van Empel and Brand pushed on in the second circuit. The world champion pried open a gap. Casasola, Vas and Worst made up the official Podium Scrap, the latter having to work to keep up. Van Empel enjoyed a 22-second buffer heading into Lap 3 of 4.
By the time van Empel had heard the bell, she added seven seconds to her lead. Casasola dumped the other two in pursuit of her third podium of the young season. The five principals toiled alone to complete the mercifully-sub-40-minute race.
The next round is November 10 in Kortrijk.
2024-2025 X2O Badkamers Trofee, Round 1 Oudenaarde
1) Fem van Empel (The Netherlands/Visma-Lease a Bike) +39:51
2) Lucinda Brand (The Netherland/Baloise-Trek Lions) +0:31
3) Sara Casasola (Italy/Crelan-Corendon) +1:31
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