Van Empel Finishes Fifth in First Stage of Tour de Romandie Féminin

Dutch cyclist Fem van Empel of Team Jumbo-Visma narrowly missed out on a podium place in the first stage of the Tour de Romandie Féminin in Switzerland. The stage, which started and finished in Yverdon, saw a quiet start before a breakaway appeared.

Despite several attacks from Team Jumbo-Visma in the final, a sprint finish became inevitable. Van Empel was in the lead but was unable to secure a podium spot, leaving her disappointed but also acknowledging the progress she made in competing for the win in a UCI WorldTour race.

“I am very disappointed,” Van Empel said. “When you’re riding for the win, it’s disappointing when you can’t finish it off. Riding a final is hectic. But today, I was able to hold my own.”

Teammate Eva van Agt, who returned to racing after a crash in the Tour de France Femmes, expressed her comfort in the race and her physical strength. “It took a bit of getting used to, but as soon as there was real racing, I felt comfortable again,” she said. “Physically, I feel strong. We have a great group of girls and staff here. So I’m having a lot of fun.”

The second stage of the Tour de Romandie Féminin is set to be a challenging queen stage for the cyclists.