Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
Lorena Wiebes continued to crush the sprint scene with her third-straight victory at Ronde van Drenthe.
Wiebes scored her third win in seven days of racing in 2023 when she beat back Susanne Andersen (Uno-X) and Maike van der Duin (Canyon SRAM) in Hoogeveen on Saturday.
Wiebes only joined SD Worx this winter and already looks right at home in the dominators of the women’s peloton.
“It’s always hectic here, but the team took control after the last corner, and the team positioned me really well into the last roundabout,” she said. “I wasn’t sure to go on the left or right, but I found the space on the right and was able to sprint.”
The winter storm that caused the shutdown of Drentse 8 on Friday forced organizers of the Drenthe WorldTour race to reshuffle its route Saturday.
Some 60km was lopped off the 150km parcours and the bunch was forced to barrel up the gruesome VAM-berg five times rather than the typical three, alterations that could have shifted the complexion of the race. But the sprinters weren’t going to be bettered by the short sharp kick of the VAM-berg climb, and a full peloton barreled to the finish Saturday.
Wiebes kicked with an unmatchable acceleration at 200m to go after Uno-X opened up the sprint, continuing her run of successive victories at her home classic.
“This race is in the Netherlands so I like it, and I normally like the cobbles, but this time I finally like the VAM-Berg,” Wiebes joked.
Wiebes now races toward a series of cobblestone classics – the bunch will be braced after seeing her romp to a multi-bike-length win Saturday.
Results powered by FirstCycling.com