X²O Badkamers Trophy 2024 – 1 – KOPPENBERGCROSS [FULL RACE] (ladies)

November 1, 2023

X²O Badkamers Trophy 2024 WE 🇧🇪 – Trofee Oudenaarde – Koppenbergcross Oudenaarde, Belgium

The X²O Badkamers Trofee is one of four major, season-long cyclocross series. With its first edition dating back to 1987 it’s the second-oldest of Europe’s series. The X²O Badkamers Trofee is unique in the world of cyclocross, as unlike other series that award points after every race, the X²O Badkamers Trofee is effectively a season-long stage race, with the overall winner being the fastest over all of the eight races across the season. That’s not always been the case though, prior to switching over to this new system in the 2012/13 season the series ran on points, just like the other series. If a rider misses or does not finish at a round, it’s still technically possible for them to win as ‘non-finishers’. Lapped riders and non-starters are given the winner’s time, plus 5 minutes. Miss too many rounds, however, and these 5 minute-long deficits soon add up and create an insurmountable gap. For that reason, this is a series that riders often compete in throughout the season, rather than picking and choosing individual rounds. Riders at the X²O Badkamers Trofee are encouraged to have a fast start, not only because it will give them an advantage in the race, but the ‘Quick Start’ classification means that the first rider across the start/finish line after the first lap gets a 15-second bonus for their final overall time, with 10 seconds and 5 seconds going to second and third across the line, respectively. These time bonuses could prove to be vital in the outcome of the overall standings, especially if this year’s series is closely contested.

Fem van Empel (Jumbo-Visma) claimed a crushing victory at the Koppenbergcross after she powered clear of her rivals on the opening lap. Torrential rain had turned the course into a mud bath, but the world champion made light of the heavy conditions to cruise to the win, 1:58 ahead of Denise Betsema (Pauwels Sauzen–Bingoal) and 2:08 up on Anna Kay (Cyclocross Reds).

The demanding conditions made for understandably slow lap times, which meant that the race was three laps in length rather than the anticipated four, but in truth, Van Empel’s dominance was such that the Koppenbergcross was already over as a contest by the time she took the bell after half an hour of racing.

“I’m glad we only had to do three laps in the end,” said Van Empel. “It was really tough. You had to keep pushing on this course, you couldn’t slow down at all, so I drove it on quite a bit.”

A number of possible contenders, including Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Alpecin-Deceuninck), opted against racing the Koppenbergcross with an eye to the weekend’s European Championships, and so Van Empel, already so impressive this season, was an even more resounding favourite here.

Van Empel immediately lived up to her billing, hitting the front on the opening ascent of the Koppenberg with Sanne Cant (Crelan-Corendon) for company. Once the cobblestones gave way to mud over the top, Van Empel’s strength began to tell, and she was already clear by the midpoint of the opening lap, while Betsema emerged as her closest pursuer.

After one lap, Van Empel had 24 seconds in hand on Betsema and 51 on Kim Van de Steene and Kay, and those gaps would yawn out further on the second lap.

The mud required bike changes every half lap and forced everybody, Van Empel included, to run more than they might ordinarily have anticipated, but the Dutchwoman didn’t miss a beat as she picked up her sixth win of the season.

Van Empel took the bell at the end of the second lap with a buffer of 1:15 on Betsema, 1:28 on Kay and 1:42 on Van de Steene, and she would extend that advantage on the last lap. After gliding up the Koppenberg one last time, Van Empel still had the strength to dismount and lift her bike above her head as she crossed the line.

Although it’s only the first race of the X2O Badkamers Trofee, Van Empel’s victory gives her a commanding lead in the standings, which are decided on aggregate time. The world champion will also be among the favourites to claim the European title in Pontchâteau this weekend.

“The important thing now is to recover well and then Saturday is a new day,” Van Empel said. “A championship is always a special competition. I am looking forward to that.”

Betsema managed to hold off a fast-closing Kay to take what she described as a morale-boosting second place. “The last races were very hard for me and this feels very good,” she said.

Kay, meanwhile, confessed to surprise at her podium finish. The Briton pressed clear of Van de Steene and teammate Aniek van Alphen to claim third place. “I didn’t expect it, I didn’t even bring podium shoes so it’s quite a surprise,” Kay said. “It’s a confidence-booster for the next weeks.”

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