The opening stage of the 2024 UAE Tour Women was supposed to be the first edition of the year's sprint battles between two of the fastest women in the peloton, Lorena Wiebes and Charlotte Kool.
With Kool being forced to miss out on selection due to illness however, Wiebes was free to power to the stage win somewhat unchallenged. "Against Kool I would have known better where I stand," the Team SD Worx - Protime star reflected post-stage. "It is always better to have a fight."
Nevertheless, starting off her 2024 season with a win is undoubtedly a positive for Wiebes. "It feels great to win straight away after a good lead-out from the team. I missed the feeling," she says. "There was some chaos in the final, but Barbara Guarischi and Lotte Kopecky were still in front of me and managed to drop me off perfectly. We planned to sit on the right, out of the wind, and it worked out."
Wiebes was especially grateful for the work in her service of the rainbow jersey-wearing Kopecky. "Lotte is great and I am happy how we work for each other. At this team we like to do that for each other," she explains. "The pressure is on us now, but the wind will do its part on day two. And we are going to be ready for that."
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