Lorena Wiebes confident heading for Tour of Drenthe, where she won past two years

Lorena Wiebes confident heading for Tour of Drenthe, where she won past two years

"We will try to go for three in a row"

10/03/2023

Team SD Worx started the WorldTour like an express train with two wins in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Strade Bianche. In the Ronde van Drenthe, Lorena Wiebes and Team SD Worx will try to go for a third victory in a row. "As a Dutchwoman, it would be very special to win this race for the third year in a row. And for the team, it would mean a third victory in a row in the World-Tour. So we will go full steam ahead for that."

Linked race Tour of Drenthe - Linked cyclists Lorena Wiebes Femke Markus Mischa Bredewold Elena Cecchini Christine Majerus Lonneke Uneken - Gekoppelde ploegleiders: Anna van der Breggen

In both 2021 and 2022, Lorena Wiebes was fastest in Ronde van Drenthe. "In the last two years, this has become one of my favourite races. Because it's a Dutch race with cobblestones. You don't have that very often at all in the Netherlands. On the VAM mountain, by now we know every stone, as we had the Dutch championships there the last three years. In the run-up to VAM Mountain, there is chaos to position yourself. I also notice that this slope suits me better and better. It also gave me confidence to go up the Muur van Geraardsbergen and the Bosberg with the best in Het Nieuwsblad. That's why I think it's a pity the course is different this year. Last year it was only 15 kilometres to the finish after the VAM-berg, this year it's 40. So VAM Mountain will play less of a role."

Wiebes is counting on the wind and its strong team to make the final hard. "If there is wind, a fan alarm applies. If a group of twenty then break away, I expect that we will still be there with the whole team. I also notice that we are getting better and better together as a team. We are constantly together in the race and the lead-out is going better and better. If it turns into a sprint, I also expect to meet a strong Elisa Balsamo. But the team is ready. If you saw how the girls rode in Strade Bianche, it only gives motivation to race again myself."

Later this year, the European championship will also be fought out at Mount VAM. "When I wanted to prepare the Tour of Drenthe on Veloviewer, I saw that the course of the European Championship was already in it. So I took a peek and saw that VAM Mountain has to be climbed often. So I am looking forward to that, just like to the World Championships. But first my focus is on the classic period, starting with defending my wins in Ronde van Drenthe. My big goals in spring will follow after that with Brugge-De Panne and Gent-Wevelgem."

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