Lorena Wiebes was once already smartly established as the most efficient sprinter in girls’s biking after her dominant years at Workforce DSM, however since becoming a member of SD Worx has advanced enormously as a Classics rider and total extra flexible famous person of the game.
The flying Dutchwoman was once now not the winningest rider of 2023 after attaining the feat back-to-back within the two seasons prior together with her former workforce. She if truth be told had the fourth-most victories in the back of fellow SD Worx pair Demi Vollering and Lotte Kopecky and her former teammate and key lead-out rider Charlotte Kool.
This does not paint the total image of Wiebes’ elegance all through the season, alternatively, together with her palmares appearing simply how regularly she was once runner-up or at the podium of races she wouldn’t had been down as a favorite for up to now.
Incessantly she was once the second-best rider within the apparently inevitable SD Worx 1-2 finishes all through the yr, in the back of International Champion Kopecky. The pair completed as the highest two at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Danilith Nokere Koerse, level 1 of the Excursion de France Femmes and total on the Simac Women Excursion.
“I actually appreciated the switch [to SD Worx]. I gained not up to the yr prior to, however I already knew that after I signed my contract with the workforce,” mentioned Wiebes to WielerFlits after the Superprestige cyclocross spherical in Niel this previous weekend. “For me, it was once particularly vital that I advanced myself as a rider, and I realize that I’ve taken an enormous step ahead in that space.”
Wiebes was once maximum spectacular at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, proper there with the punchier, lighter riders at the Muur and Bosberg prior to profitable the dash in the back of Kopecky. And she or he confirmed it was once no fluke together with her skill to experience the Cauberg with Kopecky and Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) as she and the International Champion cruised to every other 1-2 total on the Simac Women Excursion.
Even with this addition to her arsenal of skills, Wiebes didn’t lose her near-unmatchable top-end dash velocity, handiest dealing with an actual problem in flat finishes from former teammate Kool, who made a gigantic step in 2023. She nonetheless gained the one flat dash on the Excursion de France Femmes on level 3 prior to she needed to abandon because of sickness, so why alternate the rest?
“I would favor to proceed operating on what I’ve executed this yr,” mentioned Wiebes. “Proceed to take steps when it comes to main points and assert myself an increasing number of in harder races.
“That is why I used to be if truth be told more than pleased with my moment position within the Simac Women Excursion, on peak of the Cauberg. I used to be in a position to apply Lotte [Kopecky] and Kasia [Niewiadoma] there. I had by no means completed the rest like that prior to, and that’s recently extra vital to me than getting extra victories.”
This pursuit of the hardest races possibly comes with a larger function in thoughts, the Paris Olympic Video games street race. Wiebes is eyeing a possible crack at a medal, however the house get started of the Excursion de France Femmes within the Netherlands coming so on the subject of the Olympics will most likely play a job in her determination.
“The Olympic Video games are going to be vital. This week we’re going to Paris with the KNWU to discover the street race, so I will be able to have a greater thought of ways that fits my taste,” mentioned Wiebes.
“The Excursion de France Femmes, with the Grand Départ within the Netherlands, can also be crucial race. Thankfully, the ones two objectives are slightly shut to one another, which makes it possible to mix them.”
