Team SD Worx-Protime has appointed former world and European champion Sanne Cant as coach for Blanka Vas and Marie Schreiber, marking a major step in the team’s growing cyclo-cross ambitions.
Cant, 35, retired from racing in February 2025 after a 16-year professional career that brought her three world titles, three European titles and fifteen Belgian championships. She has now signed a one-year contract with an option through to 2028 to lead the team’s cyclo-cross programme.
Her new role focuses on helping Vas and Schreiber reach their full potential in the discipline. “I quickly spot what riders do wrong, taking corners incorrectly or choosing poor lines,” said Cant. “I have that experience, and now I want to make it count. But a good coach doesn’t just point out what’s not working; they mainly motivate by highlighting what is going well.”
Cant said that working closely with the team’s two rising stars was a key reason for her decision. “What appealed to me about Team SD Worx-Protime is that there are two major talents: Blanka Vas and Marie Schreiber. Because the team is small, you can work more personally and give targeted feedback. That leads to faster progress. I’ve observed Blanka and Marie for years as a competitor. I think they’ll be surprised by how well I know them,” she said.
She explained that her coaching philosophy is based on combining technical insight with motivation and balance. “Enjoying what you do and recognising what you’re already good at is essential. The rest will follow naturally. I’ve gone through the same process as they have and learned from it. I never truly enjoyed my victories because I only focused on what could be improved. I want to approach things differently now. You motivate by also highlighting the positives.”
Cant believes that Vas’s World Cup win in Hoogerheide and Schreiber’s victory in Hulst last season prove their potential. “Winning at that age, against today’s field with a powerhouse like Fem van Empel and a consistent Lucinda Brand, shows their capabilities,” she said.
As she transitions into coaching, Cant sees the role as both a personal challenge and an opportunity to build something new. “After sixteen years, I needed something new. If I had stayed where I always was, I wouldn’t have made many more steps. This is a new environment where I can challenge and develop myself – as a person and as a coach. I want to be a coach who motivates, thinks along, and builds trust. Starting from the experience I have in cyclo-cross. That’s how we’ll get the most out of their talent together.”
Team manager Erwin Janssen said Cant’s appointment would add a crucial layer of expertise to the squad. “With Sanne Cant as coach, experience, expertise, and ambition come together in our cyclo-cross programme,” he said. “With Blanka Vas and Marie Schreiber, we have two of the biggest talents in cyclo-cross on our team. They proved that last season by each winning a highly competitive World Cup race.
“In road cycling we’ve been among the world’s best for years, but in cyclo-cross we still lack that experience. To fully unlock their potential, a personal and targeted approach is needed. With the arrival of Sanne Cant, we’re bringing that expertise into the team. As a three-time world and European champion, and with fifteen Belgian titles, she knows exactly what it takes to win cyclo-cross races.”
Cant’s arrival signals a deepening of SD Worx-Protime’s commitment to cyclo-cross as it looks to transfer its long-standing road success to the winter season.
