A day after a mechanical derailed Lorena Wiebes' chance to sprint on the Tour de France Femmes opening stage, she had another opportunity to go head-to-head against the world's fastest sprinters in Rotterdam on Tuesday. But even with SD Worx-Protime's impeccable lead-out and a fully intact bike, Wiebes was forced to settle for second place to yellow jersey Charlotte Kool (DSM-Firmenich PostNL).
"It was close, and the important thing was that I was able to sprint. I think maybe I started my sprint a bit too early. Things like this also happen in sprinting," Wiebes said beyond the finish line, reminding that, when it comes to sprinting, sometimes you win and sometimes you don't.
"Like, with the men, you also see not only one sprinter wins every sprint. More chances are coming up, and the parcours will be a bit harder, so actually, I'm looking forward to it."
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Wiebes has won more than most this year, having secured 18 victories. Prior to this week, she had beaten Kool in every sprint they have contested this season.
She is also the winningest rider at the Tour de France Femmes, having taken three stage wins in the previous two editions. She came into this race as the favourite to win during the Grand Départ on home soil in the Netherlands.
In what was a mirror approach to the final of stage 1 into The Hague, SD-Worx-Protime's Mischa Bredewold began what was a powerful and largely uncontested full-team lead-out from roughly three kilometres out. Wiebes sat comfortably on the wheel of her last lead-out woman Barbara Guarischi.
She launched her sprint at about 250 metres out and opened a gap on her nearest rivals, but as she got closer to the finish line, Kool closed down the gap and then came out of her slipstream in the last 100 metres to take her second consecutive stage win in as many days.
"The lead-out was really good. We timed it really good. The girls did amazing. I think I had to wait a little bit longer before passing Barbara Guarischi," Wiebes said.
"But this is what can be hard with this kind of finish. You see the finish line for quite long, so you really want to go, and sometimes you have to have a bit more patience.
"In the final kilometre, we were the only ones there to do the lead-out. We can be proud of that, and next time, I can finish it off for the team."
In recent years, Wiebes has transformed from what was considered a pure sprinter to an all-rounder with strengths in time trialling and on short, steep climbs.
She will undoubtedly be a contender in the upcoming puncheur stages as the race heads into Liège and then into France.
Asked if she is eyeing a specific stage going forward, Wiebes said: "I have to see. First, I will focus on the time trial this afternoon, and we will see, but I'm aiming for more results."
Race organiser ASO squeezed eight stages into seven days this year for the third edition of the Tour de France Femmes, and the peloton will tackle a late-afternoon time trial in Rotterdam on Tuesday.
The 6.3km course will suit both sprinters and powerful time triallists.
Wiebes is currently in third place in the overall classification, 14 seconds behind Kool, and is expected to post one of the top times during the time trial and could possibly take the yellow jersey from her compatriot.
"It is a short one, so I have confidence that it can be a success," Wiebes said.
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