Unbeatable? Lorena Wiebes sees four sprint rivals for 2026

Lorena Wiebes kicks off her season today at the UAE Tour. The 26-year-old rider from SD Worx-Protime is seeking new challenges this year, but also wants to remain the best sprinter in the world. She spoke to our camera about that balance and discussed her collaboration with teammate Lotte Kopecky.

"I think last year we found a good balance between climbing better and maintaining my sprint," Wiebes said during the SD Worx-Protime team presentation for our camera. "How difficult is it to keep that sprint? It’s definitely challenging, but we’ve learned a lot about that in 2024 as well. We noticed that when you refocus on sprinting, it comes back quickly. But you only realize if it has worked when you line up at the start of a race."

Competition
Wiebes had a strong winter and her numbers look promising, but it’s always uncertain how the sprints will unfold in races. She doesn’t expect to just roll over the competition. "I always expect that someone will be better," she says. Who does she have in mind? "Charlotte Kool has, of course, moved to another team, so that could bring changes, possibly positive ones for her."

"I also expect Chiara Consonni and Elisa Balsamo to be in the mix. And of course, you can’t underestimate Marianne Vos. She really made it tough for me in the Tour," Wiebes added. Among the names mentioned, she will face both Consonni and Kool in the UAE Tour.

Collaboration with Kopecky
SD Worx-Protime has other strong riders in the lineup, like Lotte Kopecky. How does Wiebes see their partnership in 2026? "I think we will continue from how it was in 2023 and 2024. I don’t think we should fully count last season because of the circumstances," Wiebes refers to Kopecky’s less successful year.

"I think we still strengthen each other. As long as we keep supporting one another—and we do—that can only make us stronger. The most important thing is that someone wearing the SD Worx jersey wins the race."