‘A lot of opportunities’ – Lorena Wiebes confirms move to SD Worx in 2023 after contract clause triggered

Double Tour de France Femmes stage winner Lorena Wiebes will leave Team DSM to join SD Worx in 2023.

Wiebes, 23, was the subject of much speculation during the 2022 edition of the inaugural women’s Tour, with reports suggesting that she could leave DSM.

And whilst she was under contract with DSM for the future, there was a clause in her contract that would allow her to leave should she receive “an improved offer” from another team, something SD Worx have clearly done.

In a team statement SD Worx confirmed that Wiebes would sign a three-year contract until 2025, adding that “Team DSM and Team SD Worx reached an agreement on the transfer after joint consultation.”

Wiebes, who has 17 wins this season, admitted that she would have liked to stay at DSM but was excited about the opportunities provided by SD Worx.

“For years I have dreamed of being part of the world’s best UCI women’s team with several world-class riders who I can pull myself up by,” Wiebes said in the team statement.

“In principle I would have liked to stay with my current team but I got an offer from Team SD Worx with a lot of opportunities. I look back with pride on an instructive and very successful time with Team DSM. I will try to make it a successful remaining term of this season.”

“Lorena is a pure sprint star. When it comes to pure speed, she is by far the best,” added SD Worx sports manager Danny Stam.

“The large number of victories this season says something about her qualities,” continues Stam. “Although we mainly focus on the tougher races and as a team like to make the race, it is also nice when you have a big chance in the sprint. With Demi Vollering, Lotte Kopecky and Lorena Wiebes we have three world-class riders for the coming years who each excel in their own field.”

Stam did also say that he was looking forward to see how Wiebes would dovetail with multiple world champion Lotte Kopecky.

“With Wiebes we go for the real bunch sprints, while Kopecky is played off in the somewhat tougher races,” he said.

“I also see in Wiebes the talent to develop further. The strength of our team has always been that we have several top riders at the start. In addition, there are more and more races on the calendar in women’s cycling. That also means that we will be riding a double programme more often and will have to invest in that.”

Team manager Erwin Janssen added: “In the flat sprints our current team lacks speed. We want to compete for victory in all areas. We now have three world-class riders complemented by experienced riders and some of the biggest talents in the peloton. Financially, the three top riders are on the same level in our team. Vollering, Kopecky and Wiebes have all consciously chosen the sporting line we have set out with our team.”

– –