Team SD Worx-Protime with strong team for Paris-Roubaix

Lorena Wiebes: “What Paris-Roubaix means to me? This is one of the most special races on our calendar. Especially because we have only had a women’s edition since 2021. The cobbles make it legendary, and then, of course, there is that finish in the Velodrome. I would love to be able to win this race one day.”“Whether that can already be this year is hard to predict. I chose a different approach this year. I skipped the Scheldeprijs to put everything on Paris-Roubaix. Normally, I should be fresher at the start then, too.”“What the reconnaissance taught me? I took a different tyre choice than last year. So it was nice to test this for a while and get used to the new handlebars we have. In itself, you don’t feel much difference, but I just feel better with it. The course was pretty okay because of the favourable weather conditions. Saturday, they predict identical conditions, so I am looking forward to it. On cobbles, it’s important to choose your best line, and a reconnaissance helps with that too.”“What scenario am I hoping for? The same scenario as last year would be favourable for us as a team. Hopefully, I won’t miss the right battle then. It’s nice anyway that with Lotte Kopecky and me, we have two leading riders in Paris-Roubaix. That way, we can play the game. You don’t have everything in your own hands either. Bad luck can throw a spanner in the works. Hope we are spared from that.”“On reconnaissance, I tested my sprint in the Velodrome. What makes this race so special is that the final sprint is completely different from any other road race. Look at last year how Lotte Kopecky won from an impossible position, but at this finish, it is possible. From the turn, it is quite a long way to the finish, and the wind can play a role. I hope I can sprint for the win.” “Whether I go into it more relaxed because I’ve already won some classics? I try not to go into it too relaxed because then you’re not quite there. So I keep the pressure on myself. The spring is good anyway, but this could be the icing on the cake.”