Lorena Wiebes head and shoulders above the rest at European Championships - "It was not perfect, it was really chaotic"

She had done it previously in 2022 and last year was second to compatriot and teammate Mischa Bredewold. Lorena Wiebes has become European Champion once again this afternoon in Hasselt as she gave no chance to her rivals in the final sprint taking place in Hasselt.

The race saw some attacks but it was actually far from destroying the peloton. Only a few riders, at a time, managed to briefly escape the peloton but a bunch sprint always looked to be the most likely scenario. Wiebes had a full team around her in the final kilometers but they were overwhelmed by the Italian leadout.

Wiebes had to move around in the much-disputed wheel of Elisa Balsamo, but in the final sprint she easily carved a gap to her rivals. "Well it was not perfect, it was really chaotic," the Dutchwoman said in a post-race interview. "The girls did amazing all race and in the last lap we took full control. I think for everyone it was a bit chaos in the sprint; I got a bit lost but I found the wheels of the Italian train. I had to go a bit early but I had the feeling that I needed to go with speed".

And with speed she did go, beating Elisa Balsamo and Daria Pikulik to her second European title on the road. "It's something special to wear this jersey during the races. It's always nice to have a special jersey and yeah it's a great feeling".

To conclude she was asked what she would still race this season, which is coming to a close, and the sprinting legend reveals her final appointments: "I will do some gravel races, the nationals and the World Championships. And then it's time for the last race of the season which is the Simac Ladies Tour and then it's time for the off season".