With 17 victories so far this season, Wiebes is currently the most successful cyclist in the women’s peloton. “Lorena is a pure sprint star. When it comes to pure speed, she is by far the best,” says Team SD Worx sports manager Danny Stam.
“The large number of victories this season says something about her qualities,” continues Stam. “Although we mainly focus on the tougher races and as a team like to make the race, it is also nice when you have a big chance in the sprint. With Demi Vollering, Lotte Kopecky and Lorena Wiebes we have three world-class riders for the coming years who each excel in their own field.”
Team manager Erwin Janssen of Team SD Worx stresses that the team’s objective for the coming years is to remain number one in the UCI ranking of women’s teams. Janssen: “In the flat sprints our current team lacks speed. We want to compete for victory in all areas. We now have three world-class riders complemented by experienced riders and some of the biggest talents in the peloton. Financially, the three top riders are on the same level in our team. Vollering, Kopecky and Wiebes have all consciously chosen the sporting line we have set out with our team.”
Danny Stam saw Kopecky take an important step in tougher races last year, with her victories in the Tour of Flanders and the Strade Bianche highlighting her progression. Stam: “With Wiebes we go for the real bunch sprints, while Kopecky is played off in the somewhat tougher races. I also see in Wiebes the talent to develop further. The strength of our team has always been that we have several top riders at the start. In addition, there are more and more races on the calendar in women’s cycling. That also means that we will be riding a double programme more often and will have to invest in that.”
Lorena Wiebes sees many opportunities in the coming years in the colours of Team SD Worx. “For years I have dreamed of being part of the world’s best UCI women’s team with several world-class riders who I can pull myself up by,” Wiebes says. “In principle I would have liked to stay with my current team but I got an offer from Team SD Worx with a lot of opportunities. I look back with pride on an instructive and very successful time with Team DSM. I will try to make it a successful remaining term of this season.”