“For me it is always an advantage to have a technical finish" - Lorena Wiebes gives away secrets to her sprint success

24-year-old Lorena Wiebes has quickly proven herself to be one of if not the fastest women in the entirety of the peloton. Now, the Team SD Worx sprinter has revealed just what makes her so hard to beat in bunch sprint finishes.

“For me it is always an advantage to have a technical finish. I'm not into long sprints," the Dutchwomen tells Wielerflits in an interview. "I usually have an advantage if there's just a corner and then that explosion. A sprint at a slightly lower speed, although I think I can make it at top speed as well.”

Read also

"Rules are rules, nobody can beat them, not even SD Worx" - Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio criticizes SD Worx for being "arrogant"

The European champion, Wiebes has been part of the all-conquering Team SD Worx for this season after her move from Team DSM. Impressively, Wiebes most recently featured for the team in the Tour de France Femmes, winning stage 3. Something that understandably sees her full of confidence.

“I feel I am one of the fastest. I also notice that from the fact that other teams are doing everything they can to drive me off. This was also the case with the juniors. Then I noticed that I was really a lot faster," she continues. “The acrobatic gym has certainly influenced me as a sprinter. Especially with building muscle. In the training sessions we were already very busy with core stability. I didn't realize that at all at the time. You are also very busy with your balance and explosiveness, for example when you do tempo exercises with somersaults. That certainly helped me on the bike and in the sprint.”

“I really enjoy having a lead out, but sometimes I prefer to surf through the peloton myself," Wiebes concludes. "Then you're less likely to turn on too early, I think. If your lead out brings you and says 'now it's up to you' then you have to. Sometimes it is nice to get out of the wheel of another sprinter.”

Read also

PREVIEW | Glasgow World Championships Men's Elite Road Race 2023 - Van der Poel, Van Aert, Evenepoel, Pogacar, Pedersen and Philipsen headline 270-kilometer explosive fight for rainbow jersey