Femme van Empel is currently dominating the women's cyclocross scene with her eighth win of the season at the UEC Cyclocross European Championships in Namur.

The 20-year-old said she will turn her attention to the spring classics in Jumbo-Visma in 2023 before going for the world cyclocross title.

"I'll take some time off (after cyclocross) and do some mountain biking and road racing," Van Empel said.

The 20-year-old Dutch rider will join the Jumbo Visma women's world team on a two-year contract starting in January, the team announced in September. She hopes to test her strength and skills in races like Strade Bianche and the Tour de Flanders.

She competed at the Psychocross European Championships in the elite women's category instead of the under-23 category, winning her first elite title.

Disaster struck the Dutch favorite on the second lap when a flat tire on his way through the pits forced him to reverse course to change bikes, losing 28 seconds from the lead.

Despite his early troubles, Van Empel kept his cool and stayed in front, attacking on the last lap to take the win.

Seirin del Carmen Alvarado had no chance against the attack of the same Dutch rider and finished in second place.

This was Van Empel's eighth win of the cyclo-cross season and her first in the elite category of the European Championships.

"I can't believe it, it's kind of weird at the moment," Van Empel said of her dominant form this year after winning World Cup races in Waterloo, Fayetteville, Tabor, and Maasmechelen.

"I worked hard for it and the hard work pays off. After the puncture I didn't think I could catch up, but every lap I was able to."

"I was able to catch up.

"I believed in myself and that was enough to win. I found out halfway through the pits that I had a flat front wheel so I had to turn around, but luckily I got a new car so I was able to catch up. [I had good stamina and my legs were good.

"I'm always calm and that was important in the race. If I panicked, it wouldn't be very good.

The Dutchwoman is now the European champion, having topped the cyclocross World Cup standings. She will ride every weekend until the World Championships in February, when she will switch to the road season.

However, she will miss some races and ride only one day each weekend, while her competitors may ride two days.

Van Empel has aspirations of riding the women's spring classics with her soon-to-be teammate, cyclocross world champion Marianne Vos, as well as riding mountain bike races.

"I'll do one race every weekend and then train a few times a week to make sure I'm well recovered and ready for the next race.

"I'll take some time off and do some mountain biking and road racing.

Asked which road races he would like to compete in, Van Empel replied, "Strade Bianche, Tour de Flanders, races like that. I don't know if I'm good at those races."

He added, "I don't know if I'm good at those races.

"I don't know, but I'll concentrate on cyclocross first.