Tightly gripping the drops of her handlebars, Lorena Wiebes thrashes down on the pedals, shoulders low, head dipped into the wind. The gantry comes into frame. She bows to look under her arm, sees no one, sits up, and punches the air. It’s a finish every cycling fan now recognises: the trademark conclusion to a Wiebes sprint. It could have been Gent-Wevelgem. It could have been stages three or four of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, or any of five stages of the Simac Ladies Tour. In 2025, Wiebes was so imperious she won 25 times – more than any other male or female pro – and usually in exactly this way. But as the season unfolded, it became clear her repertoire was expanding.
For a few years now, Wiebes has spoken of her desire to be dominant beyond the finishing straight. “I want to be more than just a sprinter,” she told the Dutch magazine Ride last month. But does the 26-year-old really have the performance characteristics to be more than a sprinter? Is it even a smart ambition? If you’re a sprinter who can beat just about anyone, why hedge your bets elsewhere?
