SD Worx-Protime will target stage victories at the Tour de France Femmes with Lotte Kopecky and Lorena Wiebes, while Anna van der Breggen takes aim at top-five in the GC, in what the Dutch team considers an uncontrollable and testing race.
SD Worx once dominated women's racing but opted not to replace Demi Vollering when she left for FDJ United-Suez and have seen other teams improve significantly in the last two seasons, especially at the mountainous Tour de France Femmes. This year's race route includes a stage 7 finish at the summit of Mount Ventoux, a hilly final stage around Nice and a 21km time trial.
The Dutch team's roster also includes Mischa Bredewold, Valentina Cavallar, road captain Elena Cecchini, who is riding the final Grand Tour of her career, and Nienke Vinke. Former stage winner Blanka Vas is not in the final seven-rider line-up that has travelled to Lausanne.
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SD Worx also announced that Michel Cornelisse will join the team as a sports director in 2027 after working for Fenix-Deceuninck and more recently UAE Team ADQ.
"Because the route is so challenging, there will be few teams with the riders and strength needed to truly control the race. That’s why I expect an open Tour de France Femmes," sports director Danny Stam said.
"It will be a great edition of the Tour de France for the neutral spectator. With so much climbing on the route, the chances of bunch sprints are limited. The first two stages could end in a sprint, but after that it will often be breakaways, with a small group battling it out for the stage win.
"We selected a compatible group of seven riders with whom we dream of stage victories and a top-five finish with Anna van der Breggen."
Van der Breggen will be riding the 18th Grand Tour of her distinguished career. She was second in the Vuelta España and third in the Giro d'Italia already in 2026, losing the maglia rosa to Vollering on the last day. A simialer scenario could emerge on Mount Ventoux next Friday.
"We will support her as much as possible. Our goal with Anna is a top-five finish in the general classification. If we achieve that, our Tour de France will be a success," Stam said.
Wiebes has won five Tour de France Femmes stages during her career and she will surely win again this year. Stage 1 around Lausanne and the climb to the finish may be too hard for her but stage 2 to Geneva and stage 3 to Poligny could end in high-speed sprints.
“Over the past two years, Lorena has proven that she is one of the best, if not the best, sprinters in the world. I think it is clear that as long as she is still there in the finale, she will be our protected rider," Stam said.
"She is extremely difficult to beat in a sprint finish. There is a reason she holds the record for the most stage wins in the Tour de France Femmes. With her, we will try to win stages."
Kopecky won Milan-San Remo Women in March but missed out in the other Classics. She was consistent in the recent Baloise Ladies Tour and the Tour de Pologne and will have a free reign in the many expected attacks and breakaway stages, offering an alternative strategy to Wiebes.
"The main thing will be to keep the pressure off her shoulders and allow her to race freely," Stam said.
"Lotte will be free to take her opportunities in breakaways. With Lorena Wiebes, we have an excellent card to play in the sprint, and nobody likes taking her to the finish line. If Lotte is up the road, Lorena’s presence behind can create hesitation among the chasers. Hopefully, Lotte can take a stage win from a breakaway."
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