Fem van Empel is the Cyclo-Cross World Champion for a second yr in a row on Cervélo’s carbon R5 CX cyclocross bike. We caught up along with her bike for a more in-depth take a look at what the, now 2x Elite World Champ, was racing to a contemporary set of rainbow jerseys…
Oh, and people fan-held flags above, they have been created by her uncle & illustrator Wouter van Empel who was main a supporters membership across the muddy fields of the Tábor course.
Cervélo R5 CX of 2024 World Champion Fem van Empel
Dutch domination was the rule for the elite racers on the 2024 UCI Cyclo-Cross World Championships in Tábor, Czechia this weekend. Nicknamed SuperFem, the 21-year-old Fem van Empel continues to rack up massive wins on her Cervélo R5 CX cyclocross race bike.
Developed in a partnership between Workforce Jumbo Visma & Cervélo, first as a race bike for Marianne Vos and Wout van Aert, van Empel has put the bike to good use, as effectively – profitable nearly each race she entered on this bike.
The Cervélo R5 CX has been ridden to the previous 3 Elite Girls’s World Championship titles. First, by Vos with a Shimano construct.
Now twice by van Empel on SRAM.
What’s completely different on Fem’s bike? And what stayed the identical?
What’s the identical is the shorter checklist. A traditional double clamp to ensure the seatpost stays securely in place when leaping again onto the saddle. And a 2-piece FSA AXR cockpit with absolutely inner cable routing and a separate carbon handlebar.
The most important distinction on Fem van Empel’s Cervélo cross bike is the SRAM Purple AXS groupset. Nearly all of elite professional cyclocross racers do appear to be on Shimano Di2, however there’s a stable contingent on SRAM AXS, too.
Curiously, a number of high riders race not on the top-tier group, however on Drive, as effectively.
And even 2x World Champ van Empel is not any completely different, with somewhat Purple & Drive mix-and-match.
A part of that stems from Purple’s highway focus and its chainring integration. Not obtainable in acceptable 1x chainring sizes for CX racing, van Empel opts for the non-series carbon crankarms and 4-bolt AXS energy meter spider on her Cervélo R5 CX. This lets he trip a comparatively small 42T SRAM X-Sync chainring for the muddy Tabor course.
Whereas her mechanic can simply swap out a much bigger ring for sooner, drier programs, just like the latest Spanish World Cup observe in Benidorm simply a few weeks in the past.
She additionally opts for Drive AXS shift/brake levers with non-series graphics. The distinction isn’t big, however groups have instructed us that professionals with smaller arms desire the marginally shorter Drive hood form and the longer shift button. These levers are related to Purple brake calipers, and top-level CenterLine XR rotors.
Btw, one other athlete not racing on a Shimano groupset, however who nonetheless prefers XTR pedals.
Little professional CX particulars
Van Empel’s mechanics add just a few small additions to tweak the bike for cross racing. After all, since she runs a 1x, she doesn’t want the braze-on entrance derailleur hanger. However as an alternative of simply eradicating it, the bolt on an alloy chain retention gadget, with an adjustable plastic puck that sits simply excessive of the gold flattop chain as an insurance coverage coverage towards dropped chains.
Whereas some CX professionals ask for frames with out water bottle bosses, most nonetheless desire the flexibility for decent climate racing or coaching. And van Empel’s mechanics preserve issues clear with little stick-on covers to maintain mud out of the bolt holes.
The preferred professional CX tubular, now not made in Europe
The Rhino tubular is possibly the most well-liked & commonest mud tire on the skilled cyclocross circuit. Nonetheless, Fem van Empel was racing on essentially the most high-performance of all of them. The handmade 100% cotton casing is essentially the most supple Dugast makes for cross. Plus, she will get the manufacturing facility Neoprene sidewall remedy (the little star emblem on the sidewall). And Dugast’s newest Monsoon “superior” compound rubber that guarantees “decrease rolling resistance” AND “enhanced grip”. It’s a subsequent stage after their 11 Storm rubber, each launched after being purchased by Vittoria just a few years again.
Additionally, Fem van Empel was racing on 32mm Rhinos, a shade thinner than the max allowable 33s we noticed on many of the males’s bikes. A pair years in the past chatting tires with the employees behind Workforce NL, they instructed us primarily that the smaller and lighter riders (like van Empel) can race the smaller tires to avoid wasting each final gram with out sacrificing grip or consolation.
Of notice, this may be the final season to see all these Dugast tires handmade in Europe. Dugast shut down their Dutch manufacturing on the finish of 2023. And moved all of it to the Vittoria manufacturing facility in Thailand from this yr. So outdoors of current inventory, Dugast will make all new CX tubulars in Asia, now.
Race-ready for a muddy World’s course
Wheel-wise, Fem van Empel races on Reserve 36|39 combined depth carbon tubulars. Additionally from the identical Pon Holding company household as her Cervélo bike. Constructed mild sufficient to win Tour de France climbing levels, but additionally clearly strong-enough to race cross. Her wheels are 28mm large – 36mm deep up entrance & 39mm deep within the again. And they’re laced as much as DT Swiss 240 EXP hubs for confirmed sturdiness and ease of servicing.
Fem van Empel delivered one other emphatic win within the Czech mud aboard her Cervélo R5 CX in its inventory Jumbo Visma team-edition black & yellow paint job. With one other World Championship title she will be able to return to racing her white bike painted with rainbows for one more yr. The actual query is, will Cervélo suppose up an all-new World Champ’s customized paint job to rejoice her win somewhat in another way this coming yr?
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