Friday, March 29, 2024

Lorena Wiebes – “I want to step up to the highest level of the sport”

We looked around and decided that we should make more of a contribution to ladies cycling; as of this week we'll run at least one "ladies oriented" piece each week - and where better to start than with the world number one-ranked rider?

-

HomeInterviewsLorena Wiebes - “I want to step up to the highest level...

In the half century I’ve been involved in the sport I’ve witnessed three of the all-time greats of ladies cycling perform.

First there was Keetie van Oosten-Hage; two gold, three silver and three bronze world road race championship medals plus four gold, three silver and three bronze world pursuit medals between 1966 and 1979.

There were no Olympics for lady cyclists in Keetie’s day but there were for the dazzling Leontien Van Moorsel who won Olympic road race gold, two time trial golds and an individual pursuit gold between 2000 and 2004.

Add that to four Worlds individual pursuit titles, two road race titles and two time trial titles between 2000 and 2004 and you have palmarès of the highest order.

Then there’s Marianne Vos with Olympic road race and points titles, three world road race championships, a world points championship and a world scratch championship not forgetting SEVEN world ‘cross titles between 2006 and the present day – you’re talking about another queen of the peloton.

There’s a common denominator between those three names – they’re all Dutch.

Lorena Wiebes
Lorena Wiebes. Photo©Team Sunweb/Vincent Riemersma

And number four may just have announced herself last season with 15 UCI wins; placing her firmly at the head of the ladies’ UCI World Rankings.

She was already winning in 2020 with victory in the Omloop van het Hageland before the Coronavirus changed everything.

Lorena Wiebes is just 21 years-old but is already shaping up to be the next Dynamic Dutchwoman, we caught up with her recently, soon after she joined Dutch [where else?] ladies team, Sunweb at the start of June.

How did you get into cycling, Lorena?

“My dad was a cyclist, he used to race when he was young but at first I wasn’t interested in the sport, not until I was around 12 years-old.”

Who were your role models as a youngster?

“In the men’s peloton it was Peter Sagan and among the ladies it was my countrywoman, Marianne Vos.

“When I beat her to win the national championship last year it was crazy!” 

You had 15 UCI wins in 2019, do any stand out as ‘favourites’?

“Winning two stages in the Boels Ladies Tour was a really great feeling and of course to win the national championship ahead of Marianne was special.”

You’re ranked number one in the world now, has that changed anything for you?

“No, not really, it’s just a little bit crazy though, at the start of the year I never thought I’d finish it ranked number one – but it was a great note to finish my season on.” 

Why leave the Park Hotel team who you were with until the end of May?

“I wanted to be more professional, Park Hotel was a good team but I always viewed it as more of a development team.

“I’m at a stage now where I want to step up to the highest level of the sport.”

Lorena Wiebes
Lorena Wiebes finds Team Sunweb is a perfect fit. Photo©Team Sunweb/Vincent Riemersma

There was a bit of legal ‘stuff’ going on around the move, did that distract you?

“The winter was a bit of a difficult time for me with all that was going on over me wishing to leave the team and move on but we sorted it out and I left the team on good terms at the end of May.

“I’m looking forward now to a new chapter in my career.”

Sunweb have signed you through to the end of 2024; that must give you peace of mind?

“They really believe in me and are behind me for the Tokyo and 2024 Olympics.

“It’s a young but strong team, with us all looking to grow together. 

The UCI are saying racing will start again in early August, do you have any indication about your programme?

“We don’t know for sure yet, it’s disappointing that races like the London Grand Prix have been lost but I’m looking forward to riding races like Ghent-Wevelgem and De Panne later in the year.”

Your big strength is your sprint; do you have lead out girls or do you find your own way?

“Last year mostly I found my own way but this year it’s something we’ll be looking at to see if we can develop a ‘train’ for me in the sprints.”

Team Sunweb, strength in numbers. Photo©Team Sunweb

You had a nice result in the Tour of Chongming Island, what was racing in China like?

“It was really nice to win all three stage and the GC but this year I think the race will clash with the new ladies’ Paris-Roubaix race, which I really want to ride.

“The racing there was different from Europe on a completely flat parcours but it was a good experience and really well organised.”

You have cyclo-cross wins on your palmarès, when do you take a break?

“I take two weeks completely off the bike at the end of the road season.

“I ride the ‘crosses just for fun, I can’t have a whole winter without racing!”

Lorena Wiebes is versatile, winning on road and track. Photo©Team Sunweb/Vincent Riemersma

A bronze medal in the Dutch Keirin championships?

“Yes, I know track sprinting is very different from the road but I just wanted to try it.

“I’m more suited to endurance races on the track; I won the Scratch Race at the national championships.”

Do you have a coach?

“Yes, all of my coaching comes through my Sunweb team now, both on the bike and core fitness.”

What have you been doing training-wise during the ‘lock down’?

“Mostly long, endurance rides, on the mountain bike if it’s cold because it’s easier to keep warm but if the weather is good then on my road and time trial bikes.”

There’s much talk of ‘equality’ with men’s cycling for the ladies, what would you like to see happen?

“There’s always going to be a difference but it’s good to see races like Paris-Roubaix happening for us.

“The main thing is that everyone who rides a bike for a team full time should be paid a wage.”

What does Lorena do when she’s not riding her bike?

“If I have a rest day then I might just chill and watch Netflix or maybe take the dogs for a walk – we have a boat so it’s nice to get out on that too.”

And if you could win just one more race?

“I think that would have to be the world road race championship.” 

With thanks to Lorena and to Emily Brammeier at Sunweb for facilitating this interview.

Ed Hood
Ed Hood
Ed's been involved in cycling for over 50 years. In that time he's been a successful time triallist, a team manager and a sponsor of several teams and clubs. He's also a respected and successful coach and during the winter months was often working in the cabins at the Six Days for some of the world's top riders. Ed remains a massive fan of the sport and couples his extensive contacts with an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the minutiae and the history of our sport. In February 2023 however, our dear friend and beloved colleague Ed suffered a devastating stroke and faces an uncertain future; Ed has lost his ability to speak, to read, and has lost movement on the right side of his body. He's working with speech and physical therapists on rehabilitation, but all strokes are different and each patient responds differently, so unfortunately recovery is one day at a time. Ed ran his own business installing windows, and will probably not be able to work again. Please consider joining us to make a contribution to Ed's GoFundMe page to help stabilise and secure his future.

Related Articles

Andreas Müller – “I Could Ride Madisons All Day!”

It's hard to break into the six day circuit; but if there's a local rider with promise or a road star that needs mentoring then there has to be a rider on the circuit to provide hands on guidance. Enter Austria's Andreas Müller. Müller was a member of the German track squad during the last decade with strong results, like silver in the 1999 Moscow World Cup team pursuit; Madison bronze in the Chinese round of the World Cup in 2002 and Madison gold in the Moscow and Sydney rounds of the 2003 World Cup.

Michael Mørkøv – Deceuninck’s Danish World Champion

Multiple Danish Champion on the track, European Champion and now three time World Champion; Michael Mørkøv has always been happy to give of his time to us and we had to catch up with him after his latest triumph in the Madison.

Graham Webb

The sad news came through from Belgium on Sunday morning that Graham Webb, British World road champion in 1967, had passed away. Our condolences go to his family and the many friends and fans he had in the cycling community. A great champion and a wonderful guy. Ed interviewed Graham back in 2009, and we thought that reproducing the interview now would be a good tribute to the man. In memory of Graham; his views on the sport back in 2009. 'Former World Road Race Champion,' yes, that would be nice to have that after your name!

Paul Watson – Part of the Legendary 1987 Tour de France Team to 2016 World Champion!

It’s hard to believe it’s 10 years since last I spoke to Paul Watson about a great ride he pulled off in 1987. Paul was British Amateur Road Champion in 1985, the same year as he was third in the Tour of Britain, ‘Milk Race’ behind Liege-Bastogne-Liege winner, Eric Van Lancker of Belgium and the man who should have been a super star but never quite was, Roy Knickman (USA). He rode pro with Van Lancker’s Belgian Fangio team at the end of that year but returned to Britain to ride for Raleigh in 1986.

At Random

Fedor Den Hertog – Amateur Colossus, Rest In Peace

Less than a month after the death of Peter Post, Dutch cycling has lost another of its 'Greats' with the news that Fedor Den Hertog succumbed on Saturday 12th February, after a long battle with illness. For anyone involved in cycle sport in the late 60's and early 70's, amateur Den Hertog's name was as well known as any of the top professionals.

Sandy Gordon – Part Two: Shipyards and Scottish Championships

In Part One of our interview with Sandy Gordon, we heard about his horror crash at the 1966 Tour of Austria and missing the Jamaica Commonwealth Games, helping Brian Temple secure a silver medal at the 1970 Commonwealth Games and racing in the Tours of Scotland, Czechoslovakia - and getting banned for racing in South Africa at the Rapport Toer. We continue the chat by finding out more about Sandy's other overseas races and his many domestic successes...

Grant Ferguson and the Scottish Hill Climb Championships 2010 – ‘Une Erreur de Jeunesse’

The French have an expression for it; 'une erreur de jeunesse' - a mistake of youth. The youth in question being Grant Ferguson. When VeloVeritas saw Grant's bike at the top of the climb, we winced and advised that it disappear into the back of the family camper van, pronto - the back brake had been removed as an aid to weight saving.

John McMillan – Reminiscing about the “Okolo Slovenska”

VeloVeritas interviewed Scottish Legend John McMillan, last year – doing some research into the 'Peace Race' recently we asked John if he’s ever ridden the Warsaw-Berlin-Prague. He said he hadn’t - but he had ridden the Okolo Slovenska, the seven day Tour of Slovakia, which in 1965 was part of Communist-controlled Czechoslovakia and which had the aim of celebrating the liberation of Slovakia by the Red Army in 1945.