The Dutch Cyclocross world champion Fem Van Empel wears the rainbow jersey with a thrilling victory at the Benidorm World Cup after an all-out battle from start to finish with his compatriot Puck Pieterse, second place.
It was a celebration of Dutch runners in Benidorm’s El Moralet and Foietes parks, where more than 15,000 spectators enjoyed a high-level cyclocross spectacle. As if the rivalry between Empel and Pieterse was not enough, Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado, of Dominican origin and World Cup leader, took a creditable third place after a struggling race in which she had problems on the machine at the beginning.
Van Empel decided the battle at the finish line, where he managed to beat his compatriot in speed after a grueling effort of 52.53 minutes spread over 21 km of technical route, full of tight curves, which include two flights of stairs, obstacles, and areas of sand and asphalt.
The Spaniards were not among the first teams, The first to be classified was the six-time champion of Spain, the Asturian Lucía Gonzálezin square number 26.
Van Empel (Hertogenbosch, 21 years old), started the test at full throttle, at a pace that only Pieterse could keep up., same age. From the first lap, a close scoring was formed between the two, with Alvarada leading the times, tired from the start with mechanical problems and forced to “beat the rubber” constantly. He still managed to link up in the decisive round, but the last few attacks ruined his best intentions.
In a rivalry between compatriots Pieterse tried it, knowing Van Empel’s last shot. His attacks were met by the world champion, who finally applied the law of the strongest. It is not for nothing that he has 13 victories in 17 races contested. In Benidorm the cyclocross spectacle began with an extraordinary performance.
The track is waiting for great phenomena of men’s specialty. The temperature rises on the Benidorm stage.
Source: La Verdad
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