Lorena Wiebes will return to the track later this month, aiming to add another world title to her growing collection when the UCI Track World Championships take place in Santiago, Chile, from 22 to 26 October.
The Dutch rider, best known as the peloton’s dominant road sprinter, is set for a demanding programme across multiple disciplines. She has been selected to race the scratch race, the omnium and the Madison, where she will partner Lisa van Belle. It marks her broadest ever schedule on the track, signalling an increased focus from the Dutch federation on developing her versatility.
Wiebes, 26, only made her senior Track World Championships debut last year but made an immediate impact, winning the scratch race in Ballerup to claim her first elite rainbow jersey. She followed that performance with silver in the same event at this summer’s European Championships.
Photo Credit: GettyHer return to the velodrome comes just days after another milestone. Earlier this month she won the Gravel World Championships, taking her second rainbow jersey in as many years and underlining her remarkable adaptability across cycling’s disciplines.
Despite her limited track experience, Wiebes has already shown impressive tactical awareness and raw power. With the retirement of Dutch endurance specialists such as Kirsten Wild, she has quickly emerged as a key part of the national team’s new line-up.
Alongside Wiebes and Van Belle, the Netherlands will field Hetty van de Wouw, Steffie van der Peet and Kimberley Kalee in the sprint events, while multiple world champion Harrie Lavreysen once again leads the men’s sprint squad as the team’s strongest medal favourite.
Photo Credit: GettyFor Wiebes, her participation in Santiago represents both an opportunity and an experiment. It remains to be seen whether she will make track racing a long-term focus or continue to combine it with her successful road career. With 25 road victories already this season, she has few rivals in sprint finishes, yet the controlled environment of the velodrome could offer a more realistic Olympic opportunity for a rider of her profile.
Last year in Ballerup, Wiebes beat Jennifer Valente of the United States and Ally Wollaston of New Zealand to secure her maiden world title in the scratch race. Having since proved her winning ability on the road, gravel and track, she now arrives in Chile as one of the most versatile riders in modern cycling, chasing what could be her third rainbow jersey in two seasons.
