Lorena Wiebes outclasses competition in Burgos opener

The first stage of the Ronde van Burgos was won by Lorena Wiebes. The Dutch national champion of SD Worx-Protime took the sprint of the opening stage by a clear margin, immediately taking the lead in the general classification. Chiara Consonni (Canyon//SRAM) finished second, ahead of Georgia Baker (Liv AlUla Jayco).

The Vuelta a España may have just ended, but racing continues in Spain. The Burgos Women’s Race is the next WorldTour event, a four-day stage race in northern Spain. While the mountains will come later, the race began with a flat stage starting from the capital, Burgos.

For the general classification, riders such as Dominika Wlodarczyk, Évita Muzic, and Yara Kastelijn were present, but for the flat stages, all eyes were on one name: Lorena Wiebes. The Dutch rider aimed for stage victories in Spain, facing competition from riders like Elisa Balsamo, Ally Wollaston, and Carys Lloyd.

The flat course of the opening stage did not invite large breakaways, resulting in only two riders making a difference. Nicole Steigenga (AG Insurance - Soudal) was joined by Katharina Sadnik, the young Austrian riding for Visma | Lease a Bike. Despite their efforts, they had little chance against the full peloton.

They were soon caught, and another duo tried to escape: Irene Cagnazzo (Vini Fantini-BePink) and Oda Aune Gissinger (Hitec Products - Fluid Control). The latter, a Norwegian, was the strongest on the climbs and took the mountain jersey, at least for the next day.

However, their breakaway did not last. The peloton closed in, with SD Worx-Protime, Canyon//SRAM (for Consonni), and Lidl-Trek setting the pace. In the final 10 kilometers, the pair was reeled back in.

The lead-in to the sprint was chaotic, but the roads were wide. The final corner came 400 meters from the finish, a crucial point. Wiebes was perfectly positioned, exiting the corner in second place before launching her sprint from afar. No one could challenge her: she claimed her 125th career victory with ease.