SANREMO – This morning his white bicycle was among the last to be unloaded from the truck of the SD Worx. As soon as it was put on the stands, the controllers of theUCI They started measuring the dimensions and scanning the frame and wheels to check that everything was in order. Meanwhile, Lorena Wiebes sat quietly in the truck.
The spotlight was on her, but also on Lotte Kopecky, Elisa Longo Borghini and Demi Vollering. Lorena, on the other hand, had a truly calm approach, just as the start of the race was calm. Despite the fast pace from the start, there wasn't much of a fight. The Cipressa, approached at that steady pace, helped create the ideal conditions for Wiebes' "perfect storm."
Wiebes Arrow
Wiebes seemed the picture of serenity throughout the day. She maintained the same calm after arriving: no exaggerated shouts, no theatrical gestures, as if his victory were normal, not to say taken for granted. But it was not so.
«It's hard to believe – says Wiebes – but I won the Sanremo Women's cycling. I'm very grateful to the team for their excellent work. There were several options for the finish, but I felt great on the Cipressa. I was also among the first to reach the summit on the Poggio. At that point, I knew I was going for the win. These were the plans that morning, and the sports director was urging me on from the car. Elisa Longo Borghini attacked with great force with 2 kilometers to go, but I remained confident because I know Lotte Kopecky's strength. When we run together, we're the strongest. But besides her, we had super athletes, like the one who won or came in second last Sunday."
Today's victory is Lorena's 98th, but she emphasizes that reaching 100 victories is not an obsession. There's no shortage of motivation, and in fact, the extremely high level of her team pushes her to continually improve.
Weighted Sprint
"Lotte," Wiebes continues, "put me in the perfect position. I didn't want to sprint too early, but it was enough to win. After so many kilometers, sprinting too far could have been risky."
Lorena repeatedly thanked Kopecky for his work in the final stages, particularly for closing down Elisa Longo Borghini's attack in the final two kilometers. His work was impeccably managed.
«I didn't want to close too quickly. – said Kopecky – I was afraid someone else might fight back. We expected a tougher race, for some other team to take control, but that didn't happen. Once we reached the top of the Poggio, it was clear we had the fastest rider, and it would have been foolish not to take advantage of this opportunity. Lorena rode a perfect race."
"This victory," Wiebes continued, "has a huge impact on my career. It's really nice to win here. I did a lot of reconnaissance while staying in Italy after the Strade Bianche, and each time the wind changed. Today in the final it was lateral and in favour", as sport director Mondini had anticipated before the start.
The tailwind increased the pace on the Poggio, likely thwarting Vollering or Longo Borghini's attempts to attack on the climb. In any case, Wiebes overtook Cipressa and Poggio in style.
«Actually, I felt very good on the two climbs», he confirmed.
Team victory
SD Worx proves to be a true powerhouse, and the other classics—their home races—have yet to begin. However, there's respect within the team, and the athletes, true champions, know how to help each other.
«It's not always the case that the world champion pulls for you “—explains Wiebes—and it's a beautiful thing. It was also the tactic we decided on in the morning. Although the race wasn't particularly tough, it was very chaotic. There was a crash even on the first corner and one of our teammates ended up on the ground. I was dropped, but Blanka Vas brought us back. We rode well, always compact and in the top positions. We took the climbs the way we wanted, and that's not easy in this type of cycling. The level is rising because more champions are spread across multiple teams, making the fight broader.”
Even at the press conference, Lorena Wiebes maintained her composure and elegance. She happily answered all the many questions, smiling and exuding happiness.
I'm really happy that the Milan-Sanremo is back on the women's calendar. It's a beautiful race. I don't know if it'll be a sprinter's race now—we'll find out as the years go by—but it's certainly different from all the others. It seems that in the future it will be able to reach 200 kilometers, which in my opinion is also good for our movement."
