Fem van Empel

Fem van Empel is a cyclo-cross sensation who made her Women's WorldTour debut in 2023. The 21-year-old first came to prominence in the 2021/22 cyclo-cross season when, in the middle of a strong campaign, she beat none other than Marianne Vos to take her first World Cup victory in Val di Sole, and then a second soon after in Flamanville.

In 2022, Van Empel proved that was no fluke as she stepped up to the elite circuit early, and became a dominant force. In total, the Dutchwoman won 16 races across the winter, including the World Championships, seven World Cups and the World Cup overall. She finished off the podium on only one occasion, when she crashed out of Val di Sole.

After riding only a handful of road races previously, the move to Jumbo-Visma for 2023 was a significant one for Van Empel. She featured in the Giro d'Italia Donne, finishing 11th overall, before winning a stage and the points classification at the Tour de l'Avenir Femmes. Adding another string to her bow, Van Empel finished third at the inaugural European Gravel Championships.

The Dutchwoman was similarly dominant in the cyclo-cross field in the 2023/24 season, winning almost every race she started.

Van Empel is expected to continue her road racing development in 2024, though she also has her eyes on a start in the mountain bike cross-country race at the Paris Olympics.