World Champion Fem van Empel (Visma-Lease a Bike) secured a dominant solo victory in the in the opening round of the Exact Cross series Beringen-Be-Mine Cross on Saturday.
She opened a solo lead on the second of five laps and finished 42 seconds ahead of former world champions Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and 1:16 ahead of another former world champion Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek Lions).
Italian champion Sara Casasola (Hess) led the field onto the course ahead of Van Empel, Alvarado and Brand, who was wearing the Dutch champion's jersey, with a long line of some 35 riders competing in the opening round of the Exact Cross series.
Alvarado took the lead as the race hit the off-camber mud section of the opening lap with a strong reaction from Van Empel chasing several seconds back with Casasola on her wheel.
The fast start saw a gap to the next group of chasing riders led by Brand, Alicia Franck (DE Ceuster-Bouwpunt), Inge Van der Heijden (Crelan-Corendon) and Aniek Van Alphen (Cyclocross Reds) before the start of the second lap.
Van Empel and Casasola passed Alvarado as she slid out on the off-camber mud section, crashed and dropped her chain on the second lap.
After a quick bike change, Alvarado got back into the race in fourth position on the course, forced to chase solo leader Van Empel, and Casasola and Brand. Alvarado was quickly joined by the next chase group Franck, Van der Heijden and Van Alphen.
Van Empel led the race through the start of the third lap with 10 seconds on Casasola as Brand and Alvarado chased at an additional three seconds back.
The three chasers reconnected but an untimely crash saw Casasola go down and she was caught by the next group that included Franck, Van der Heijden and Van Alphen.
On the last lap, Van Empel pushed her lead out to over 40 seconds ahead of Alvarado, while Brand was in third place another 45 seconds back. Van Alphen crossed the line in fourth on the day.
Results
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