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A battle of two girls sporting rainbow stripes concluded with world champion Fem Van Empel (Jumbo-Visma) prevailing over former world champion Lucinda Model (Baloise Trek Lions) on the third spherical of the X2O Trofee in Herentals.
The pair fought each other on the head of the race through the remaining two laps of 5 by way of the Belgian mud, with Model making a comeback from the chasing group to catch the 21-year-old.
Van Empel, who wore a bandage on her knee following a coaching crash, and Model caught collectively till halfway by way of the ultimate lap, solely placing increasingly more time into these dropped behind, together with Annemarie Worst (Cyclocross Reds) and Denise Betsema (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal).
Van Empel stole a march on her fellow Dutchwoman through the main mid-lap climb, pushing on by just a few seconds. However Model obtained again on properly in time for the start-finish straight to arrange a dash end.
A late wobble on an off-camber downhill nook set Model again just a few metres as soon as extra, forcing her to expend extra power to get again on Van Empel’s wheel.
The pair raced in direction of the road along with Van Empel main out, however Model could not fairly come alongside her rival for the win. The world champion raised her arms in triumph for the tenth time in 10 races this season, a fraction forward of Model.
“I by no means had such an excellent grade in school.” Van Empel joked after the race in reference to her excellent report, in response to WielerFlits. “It was a really robust race, with numerous intervals. Lucinda Model was tremendous sturdy immediately.”
“For me, it was a little bit of a shock to the system after final week,” she added, referring to her crash and a latest chilly. “However that doesn’t detract from Model’s efficiency, since you see once more: he by no means lets up.”
“I have been in mattress all week. You then see how shortly your physique has bother digesting that stimulus. However no less than I am completely satisfied that I am moderately wholesome once more. Any longer issues can solely get a bit of higher bodily.”
Van Empel now extends her lead on the head of the X2O Trofee rankings. She now holds a considerable lead over Betsema in second.
“It is just a few further seconds, that is good,” she stated. “There are nonetheless quite a lot of crosses within the new 12 months, so I am curious. In any case, I am going for it.”
Worst rounded out the rostrum at 42 seconds again, the Dutchwoman having earlier been a part of the chase group together with Model. One other chaser, Betsema, took fourth place at 1:11, whereas Briton Anna Kay (Cyclocross Reds) was fifth at 1:49.
Model had earlier caught to Van Empel’s wheel throughout an acceleration on the primary lap of the race, whereas Worst and Betsema had been joined by Manon Bakker (Crelan-Corendon) within the chase.
On the second lap, the teams got here collectively on the head of the race following an tried break by Model. Nonetheless, Van Empel was quickly out entrance on her personal as soon as extra, going clear on the mid-lap climb.
Model, Worst, and Betsema lay eight seconds down on the finish of the lap, and it regarded as if the world champion could be away solo for the end line. Model had different concepts, although, pushing on alone within the chase and shutting to inside two seconds of Van Empel the subsequent time by way of the end.
She’d make it again on lap 4, organising the large finale that will ultimately lead to yet one more Van Empel victory – albeit a slim one.
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