Van Empel claims third cyclocross world title after intense battle with Brand

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Fem van Empel secured her third consecutive elite women’s cyclocross world title in Liรฉvin, France, overcoming a late attack from Lucinda Brand in a dramatic final lap. Puck Pieterse completed the all-Dutch podium with a third-place finish.

From the start, the pace was high, with Puck Pieterse taking the initiative and leading the early charge. Amandine Fouquenet initially surged to the front, but the Dutch riders quickly asserted themselves. Pieterse, Van Empel, and Brand pushed ahead, forming an early lead group.

Van Empel and Pieterse briefly distanced themselves, but Brand managed to bridge the gap, making it a three-way battle at the front. As the laps progressed, Pieterse began to struggle with the relentless tempo, gradually losing contact, leaving Van Empel and Brand to fight it out for the title.

Brand attacks, Van Empel responds

The anticipated showdown between Van Empel and Brand delivered a gripping contest, decided only in the last moments of the six-lap race. The 22-year-old title defender was forced to chase after Brand launched a move while Van Empel was taking a bike change on the penultimate lap. Brand opened up a gap, but Van Empel used her speed on the steep climbs to bring herself back into contention.

The two riders raced shoulder to shoulder in the closing moments, pushing each other through the technical sections of the course. Brand appeared to have the edge heading into the final tarmac stretch, but a slight mistake slowed her momentum, allowing Van Empel to surge ahead and claim victory.

“I didn’t realise that I had won the race because I really had to go deep for it,” Van Empel said after the finish. “It was a tough battle, and mentally, it was hard because of last weekend … This is quite emotional.”

divMixed-feelings-for-Lucinda-Brand-at-Cyclo-cross-Worlds-after-missing-out-on-rainbow-jersey-in-last-lapdiv-1Photo Credit: Getty

Brand frustrated by final moments

Brand, who had looked strong throughout the race, was visibly disappointed after finishing second, believing Van Empel had forced her into the barriers during the final descent.

“I’m just really frustrated,” she told Sporza. “It was a great race, and we were very evenly matched. Everyone knows that Fem is usually stronger than me in a sprint, but I don’t know what to think about someone forcing me into the fence.”

Brand felt she had positioned herself well heading into the final moments, but the incident with Van Empel cost her the chance to contest the finish on equal terms.

“I think I was better on the off-camber section and made the choice to run so I could go around her,” she explained. “She saw me coming and just moved completely to the outside. I was lucky I didnโ€™t crash into a post.”

Pieterse settles for third

Pieterse, who made an aggressive start, was in contention for much of the race but admitted she lacked the legs to match the top two in the final laps.

“I was hoping that if it slowed down, I might still have a chance,” she said. “But in the last lap, I knew it was over, and then I was just racing for the podium. I tried to stay clean technically, but I made a mistake in the final lap, and they were already gone.”

Despite missing out on a shot at the title, Pieterse was pleased with her performance. “With the legs I had, I got the most out of it,” she said. “Fem always wins this titleโ€”three times in a row now. Every time, at the right moment, she is super strong.”

Looking ahead to the road season

With the cyclocross season nearing its end, both Brand and Pieterse will now shift focus to their road racing campaigns. Brand is set to lead Lidl-Trek in the Spring Classics, with Milan-San Remo on March 22 marking her first road race of the year.

“I’ll finish the cyclocross season before taking a short break,” Brand said. “Then it’s straight into Milan-San Remo. The big targets are Flanders and Roubaixโ€”I want to be strong there.”

Pieterse, meanwhile, is planning to focus on the Ardennes Classics, particularly Liรจge-Bastogne-Liรจge, after a successful debut in the Tour de France Femmes last year. “I’m seeing progress,” she said. “Last year I did more races, and it made me hungry for more. Liรจge is a race I want to do well in.”

Van Empel, still relatively new to road racing, is yet to announce her full programme but is expected to race selectively on the road while continuing to focus on cyclocross.

With three world titles to her name, she has proven her dominance in the mudโ€”but whether she can translate that success onto the road remains to be seen.

2025 Women’s Cyclocross World Championships

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Main photo credit: Getty