"We are paying the price for that" - SD Worx happy with Wiebes' Tour success but van der Breggen GC fallout doesn't come as a surprise
Cycling
The Tour de France Femmes has been a race of two halves for Team SD Worx - ProTime. Lorena Wiebes won the opening two stages of the race, carrying the yellow jersey and then winning the points classification. But Anna van der Breggen's difficulties and withdrawal came as a difficult hit to take in the battle for the yellow jersey.
“Those two stage wins still stand out. If you manage to take two stages in this tough Tour…" team DS Danny Stam said in words to Wielerflits, pointing out both the speed and difficulty of this year's edition. Only one stage ended in a bunch sprint, won by Wiebe in Geneva. The Dutchwoman won the opening hilltop finish in Lausanne; whilst from stage 3 onwards she could not be in contention for any other stage.
Stages 3 and 8 could have brought an opportunity for the sprinter, who was in terrific form and climbing at the best of her abilities, but the flaming GC fight between Demi Vollering and the several riders that rivaled her throughout the week took over the spotlight.
SD Worx was not able to put a rider in the final Top10. "Of course, you always set your goals higher, because we also focused on the general classification. But that wasn't quite the story, no.”
Anna van der Breggen pays the price for a long season
Lotte Kopecky was not in her best form, but it was Anna van der Breggen that carried those expectations on her shoulders.
“Anna has, of course, been racing from the Amstel Gold Race right up until now. But that was simply too much, especially in these circumstances. So I think we are paying the price for that.”
The veteran was second at La Vuelta Femenina and third at the Giro Donne, losing both on the final stage. However at the Tour de France Femmes she was never at the same level, suffering from fatigue and eventually struggling through the hilly stages before pulling out of the race before the arrival to Mont Ventoux.
“Of course that is a shame, but I think we stated from the start what the priorities were. And we had to adjust them, as you always have to adjust something. But I think we still achieved 50 to 75% of our goals… Not the general classification, but we also went for stage wins and we have the green jersey. I think that means you can look back on a good Tour.”
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Nienke Vinke steps up to the opportunity
Nienke Vinke had been 13th at La Vuelta where she played a support role for van der Breggen. At the Tour, she ended up getting the opportunity to aim for her own result in the overall classification - and on stage 5, a successful breakaway ser her climb to 11th on GC.
She didn't climb into the Top10, ultimately finishing as well in 11th place, climbing once again on the final day as a fruit of her consistency. The freshly-turned 22-year old provides another card for SD Worx to use in the future when it comes to GC hunting in the Grand Tours.
“I think with her we have a young rider who is definitely making her presence felt in the front ranks," Stam assured. "We are happy with that. That is also a project we want to continue with in the future".
"That is also a fine result. But on balance, I think that with two stage wins and the green jersey, a good feeling remains".
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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