Van Empel marks her comeback with sixth place in Ruddervoorde

# Van Empel Returns to Racing with a Strong Showing at Ruddervoorde

After an eight-month hiatus from cyclocross, Fem van Empel made her much-anticipated comeback at the Ruddervoorde event. The three-time world champion took a much-needed mental break last March but returned to the course with positivity and ambition, promising to enjoy racing while sporting her rainbow jersey. Reflecting on her experience, Van Empel shared, “It’s nice to be back. The first race is always tough, but I really enjoyed it.”

Despite finishing in sixth place, Van Empel maintained an optimistic outlook. She acknowledged, “Overall, it went quite okay. My form isn’t exactly where I want it to be yet, but I’ve trained well in recent weeks. Maybe fatigue played a role today.”

The time away from competitive racing seems to have paid off for Van Empel. “Not racing on the road hasn’t really affected my form. Over the past few months, I’ve found a lot of peace of mind, and that means a lot to me,” she added, indicating that her mental well-being was a priority during her break.

As she moves forward in the season, fans and fellow competitors alike will be watching closely to see how Van Empel channels her newfound peace and passion into her racing.