As per usual this spring, Lorena Wiebes of SD Worx-Protime proved untouchable in the sprint finish, when the Copenhagen Sprint was decided Saturday in a showdown of the fastest sprinters on Sølvgade in front of the National Gallery of Denmark.
The Dutch rider edged out Elisa Balsamo for second place, with Chiara Consonni finishing third, while the Danish riders showed strong performances throughout the race with aggressive and attacking riding. Former world champion Amalie Dideriksen was the best-placed Dane, finishing 8th.
Winner Lorena Wiebes highlighted the fantastic atmosphere along the route – especially on the city center circuit:
“It feels absolutely amazing. The spectators made it a huge experience – even through the small towns along the route, the atmosphere was wild, and particularly on the circuit in the center, it was intense. There were a couple of crashes, but luckily, I stayed in the front and avoided them,” said Wiebes, and added a few words about the finale:
“We lost an important rider from our leadout in one of the crashes, but it still worked out. I launched my sprint a bit earlier than planned – but better early than too late, and luckily it went well in the end.”
Former world champion Elisa Balsamo finished second and described a tough race with a tense finale:
“It was a hard race and a really stressful finish, especially on the final lap, where there was a fierce battle for position. But I think we rode a really good race as a team, and I’d really love to come back next year,” said Elisa Balsamo.
The 151-kilometer race started in Roskilde and made its way through North Zealand, passing Frederikssund, Hillerød, Farum, and Ballerup, before reaching the circuit in Copenhagen at Nørrebro after 117 kilometers.
Throughout the day, there were many attempts to break away, but none proved decisive. The peloton kept the race under control, never allowing any breakaway more than a minute’s gap.
On the 11 km city circuit in Copenhagen, repeated attacks were made, but the sprinter teams controlled the race, and the inaugural edition of this World Tour race ultimately came down to a sprint – where Lorena Wiebes was dominant.
The 26-year-old Dutch rider from SD Worx-Protime is the reigning European Champion and has already won Gent-Wevelgem, Brugge-De Panne, and Milano Sanremo this spring, along with stages in both the UAE Tour and The Women’s Tour.
The men’s race will be held tomorrow, June 22, with a neutral start in Roskilde at 10:45 AM.
Copenhagen Sprint is backed by a national partnership consisting of the City of Copenhagen, Roskilde Municipality, the Danish state, Sport Event Denmark, Wonderful Copenhagen, the Danish Cycling Federation, and the Copenhagen Sprint event company, which is responsible for organizing and executing the race.
Learn more about Copenhagen Sprint at www.copenhagensprint.com.
