Blanka Vas has extended her contract with SD Worx-Protime and will stay with the Dutch team until the end of 2027. The reigning under-23 road race world champion believes that the team offers her the best opportunity to develop while racing on the WorldTour.
"I feel good here and get a lot of freedom here. I am convinced that Team SD Worx-Protime is the team where I can continue to develop further,’ said the Hungarian champion.
Vas joined the SD Worx-Protime team partway through the 2021 season. She is in her third full season with the team has has already accomplished stage victory at the Giro d'Italia Women and Tour de Suisse, both on the Women's WorldTour. She also finished second in a stage at the Vuelta España Femenina and spent two days in the leader's jersey. Vas is a five-time road race and three-time individual time trial champion at the Hungarian Championships.
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Part of her decision to stay with SD Worx-Protime is that she can combine her road and off-road racing schedules throughout the year. She also highlighted the opportunity to race alongside Anna van der Breggen, who will come out of retirement to compete with the team beginning in 2025.
"I feel good at Team SD Worx-Protime. The atmosphere within the team suits me. I get to combine cyclocross with road and mountain biking. I get a lot of freedom and just feel at home here," Vas said.
"I have already learned a lot from my experienced teammates. I ride alongside several top riders and learn a lot from them. My best win so far is the one in the Giro. The U23 world title is also a highlight. I get a lot of confidence from that.
"This year, luck was not yet on my side, but I have to focus on the positive things. I am recovering better and feel I am making strides.
"My goals for the future are to go for wins, get stronger in climbing and be more present in finals. I am also looking forward to racing with Anna van der Breggen. I already learned a lot from her as my trainer over the past three years. I look up to her and look forward to pinning on a back number with her."
Team Director Danny Stam called Vas a 'mega-talent' who has bounced back from a few difficult moments in her career to win important races.
"She should also be able to hold her own in the Classics. We will continue to invest in her development in the coming years and are happy with this extension until 2027. You see longer contracts quite often now in women's cycling," Stam said.
"This is possible because our main sponsors SD Worx and Protime provide stability. If you have real confidence in someone like we do with Blanka Vas, you are also happy to keep them in your team for longer."
