There has been lots of talk this Spring about ‘Sammen Winnen’ – the ‘Winning Together’ slogan of Jumbo-Visma – and how it compares to the ‘Vincere Insieme’ of the old Mapei team and the current ‘Wolfpack’ branding at QuickStep. However, the flag flying highest in professional cycling right now is surely the ‘Flow with the Go’ of SD Worx.
That motto might seem essentially meaningless in and of itself, but it stands for a wider philosophy, honed in part by a bikepacking trip in California, that has seen the Dutch team dominate the Classics so far this Spring.
It’s hardly new, given the team enjoyed similar success and similar harmony back in the Boels Dolman days, but this year the team spirit appears stronger than ever.
“We’re flying high,” team director and former pro Lars Boom told Cyclingnews after Demi Vollering won Wednesday’s Dwars door Vlaanderen to give the team’s Classics tally to six so far this Spring.
“This group of girls is working particularly well together. There is a great vibe in the hotel. We’re having fun, and that’s what cycling is all about.”
Vollering herself insisted the atmosphere in the team camp is better than ever. The Dutchwoman is a relative newcomer, joining in 2021 and becoming one of the world’s top riders, but sees improvement in an already-successful 2022.
“We’ve grown a lot as a team – again,” Vollering said. “This year, you can feel the spirit in the team is super, super good. We are really willing to give it our all for everybody.”
Like Jumbo-Visma’s men’s squad are doing now, and as QuickStep and Mapei did so often, SD Worx are employing a multi-leader strategy for the Classics, playing the numbers game.
At Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Lotte Kopecky won solo as Lorena Wiebes mopped up from the group behind, a scenario that repeated itself at Nokere Koerse, with another 1-2 sandwiched in between at Strade Bianche, this time featuring Vollering and Kopecky.
The main Flemish Classics period has continued the theme, with Marlen Reusser taking Gent-Wevelgem and Vollering Dwars door Vlaanderen – both in solo moves built on the presence of teammates in the groups behind.
“We are a team, and we win races because we are a team,” Boom said.
“You saw that today [at Dwars]; Demi attacks, and Marlen is straight away in second wheel helping her [by disrupting the chase]. That’s why we win. That’s why Marlen wins Gent-Wevelgem and why Lotte won Flanders last year. We are a team.”
Egos, hierarchy, and harmony
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