Last year, SD Worx-Protime celebrated victory at the Amstel Gold Race, and in 2026, they certainly entered the race with reason for optimism. The Dutch team were fielding a strong hand, including defending champion Mischa Bredewold, former winner Anna van der Breggen and Lorena Wiebes, who missed out on taking the victory by a matter of centimetres two editions back.
However, on Sunday, it didn’t end up being enough to make the most of the home-ground advantage. The team’s best performer was Van der Breggen in ninth, and it’s the only time since the women’s race was reinstated in 2017 that the team hasn’t had a rider in the top four. It’s also only the second time through that stretch that the squad has been off the podium at the event.
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“We know we have some riders that on a good day can win the race, but there are some strong blocks we need to fight against,” Anna van der Breggen told Cycling Pro Net before the event. “So I think we should try to be in front – and then last year Mischa had a good instinct of finding the good moments, and we have some more riders who can do that – so let’s hope that this turns out like last year.”
“I had good legs and was able to race well. It was good for the team that I was at the front, but in the end, it’s just nothing,” Vinke told Wielerflits, adding that she had made a gear shift mistake when Blasi launched, leaving her with little chance of closing the distance.
“It’s a shame I couldn’t follow. I actually didn’t expect her to attack there. It’s better to be away together.”
“I am generally content, although we were hoping for a bit more,” Bredewold told Wielerflits. “To do that, you do need to have just slightly better legs. I think one rider was a cut above the rest.”
“There were five other riders from Lidl-Trek in our group, and Demi Vollering also had two teammates supporting her,” Van der Breggen told Sporza after the race.
“That is normally a good situation, but the lead just wouldn’t shrink. She [Blasi] simply rode an incredibly good race.”
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