Visma | Lease a Bike made it four wins in a week as Martina Fidanza sprinted to victory at the Trofee Maarten Wynants, leading home a reduced bunch in Helchteren after 116.6km of racing. Tereza Neumanova claimed second for UAE Team ADQ, while Nienke Veenhoven, in her first race since breaking her collarbone at Gent-Wevelgem, completed the podium for Visma.
Despite constant attacking from the flag, none of the breakaway efforts were able to make a decisive move. A pair of riders briefly opened up a 50-second gap midway through the race, but the peloton never allowed them to build a threatening margin. UAE Team ADQ and Visma | Lease a Bike were especially attentive, keeping their lead sprinters protected and well-positioned throughout the day.
In the final 10 kilometres, the pace ramped up dramatically. Narrow roads and several corners made for a tense run-in, but Visma controlled the chaos with textbook efficiency. Four riders from the Dutch squad were still on the front inside the final kilometre, with Veenhoven delivering Fidanza to the final 150 metres before peeling off.
The sprint was opened early by Neumanova, who had latched onto Fidanza’s wheel. The Czech rider came close to overhauling the Italian, but Fidanza held her line and powered across the finish first to take her second victory in seven days.
Reflecting on the win, Fidanza said it was “a perfect day for the whole team,” and praised the work done to keep the race together for a sprint. “The girls worked hard all day and did everything they could to make it a bunch sprint,” she said. “The lead-out was also great. In the last 500 metres, four of us were still in front. Nienke dropped me off at 150 metres and then all I had to do was finish it off. I’m super proud of everyone.”
Fidanza noted how different the experience was compared to her previous win at Festival Elsy Jacobs. “That was a totally different race than today,” she explained. “Today was all nervousness in the peloton. Fortunately, we were well in front every time and kept the pace high. I think that was the best tactic.”
For Veenhoven, third place marked a strong return after a long lay-off. The 21-year-old said she was pleased with how smoothly the lead-out had worked in her first race back. “It’s super nice to come back this way,” she said. “The plan was to sprint with Martina today and we executed that plan perfectly as a team. It was a super nice lead-out.”
While Veenhoven admitted there was some rust to shake off, she remained composed in a hectic finish. “I knew I would be good, but still it always takes some getting used to in such a peloton,” she added. “Besides, it was a super hectic race. It was just not tough enough to thin out the peloton, so it remained a big group. All in all, it was a nice race to get into.”
Neumanova, who claimed her first podium of the season with second place, also credited her teammates for their support throughout the day. “We stuck to the plan, and the girls looked after me all race long,” she said. “Over the past few weeks, I’ve finally been able to train well and consistently, and it was nice to see that paying off. Of course, the victory didn’t come, so I can’t be completely satisfied, but this podium definitely gives me confidence for the upcoming races.”
The result marks Visma | Lease a Bike’s sixth win of the season and caps off a dominant week for the team, with Fidanza and Marianne Vos both scoring multiple victories across Belgium and Spain.
2025 Trofee Maarten Wynants result
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