Fem van Empel kicked off the Exact Cross season in Beringen with a commanding performance, securing her third consecutive win at the Belgian event. The world champion showed her class early on, alongside Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado and Italian champion Sara Casasola, as the trio broke clear from the rest of the field during the first lap.
Alvarado, looking particularly strong on the climbs, led through the opening technical sections and crossed the line first after lap one. However, the race took a dramatic turn on the second lap when Alvarado slipped on the slanted section of the course, dropping her chain in the process. This opened the door for Van Empel, who took full advantage and powered ahead, never looking back.
Reflecting on the race, Van Empel said, “I think Ceylin was the strongest today. I tried to put her under pressure, and then she crashed. From that point on, I had to ride hard because anything can happen on a course like this.”
Alvarado recovered from the mechanical setback but was unable to close the gap on Van Empel. Despite regaining second place, she finished 42 seconds behind the leader. “It’s frustrating, but that’s racing,” Alvarado remarked after the race. “I was pushing just a bit too hard on the slope, and my chain came off twice. That was the real issue.”
Lucinda Brand claimed third place, finishing 1 minute and 16 seconds behind Van Empel. Brand noted that there were areas for improvement, stating, “It was a good race, but I made a few mistakes. Fem and Ceylin were stronger, but I let the gap open up, and that changed the race for me.”
Belgium’s Alicia Franck finished fifth, the top Belgian rider, while Italian Casasola dropped to tenth after a mechanical issue derailed her early podium hopes. Despite a strong start, Casasola slipped off the pace following her fall.
2024 Women’s Beringen Exact Cross result
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Photo Credit: GettyVan der Haar triumphs in men’s race, controversy as Iserbyt disqualified
In the men’s race, Lars van der Haar took a hard-fought victory after a thrilling final lap at Exact Cross Beringen. The Dutch rider came from behind to overtake European champion Michael Vanthourenhout in the closing stages, crossing the line 10 seconds ahead to claim the first win of the cyclocross season.
The race began with a large lead group, including Vanthourenhout, Niels Vandeputte, Toon Vandebosch, and Van der Haar. As the race progressed, the field began to thin out, and Van der Haar bided his time, keeping himself in contention before launching a decisive attack in the final lap. “I didn’t expect to win today,” Van der Haar admitted. “I knew I was in good shape, but you never know what to expect from the competition. I’m proud to start the season with a win.”
While Van der Haar celebrated, the race was overshadowed by an incident involving Belgian champion Eli Iserbyt, who was disqualified after an altercation with Ryan Kamp. The drama unfolded on the fifth lap when both riders crashed on a muddy descent. Frustrated, Iserbyt was seen stomping on Kamp’s bike in a moment of anger, damaging it and leading to his eventual disqualification by race officials.
Iserbyt later expressed regret for his actions, stating, “It was not necessary. I lost my cool in the heat of the moment. I want to apologise to everyone involved.” Kamp, whose bike was severely damaged in the incident, was forced to run to the pits for a replacement and ultimately finished far down the order.
Vanthourenhout, who had led for much of the race, acknowledged Van der Haar’s strength in the final stages, saying, “Lars was in the back of my mind. I knew he could accelerate in the last laps, and he was just stronger at the end.” Niels Vandeputte completed the podium, finishing third, 18 seconds behind the winner.
The controversy surrounding Iserbyt’s disqualification added an unexpected twist to an otherwise competitive race, with the Belgian champion now focusing on moving past the incident ahead of the rest of the cyclocross season.
2024 Men’s Beringen Exact Cross result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Main photo credit: Cor Vos
