Van der Breggen can count on ambitious super-domestique Vinke: "I want to develop into a GC rider"

Anna van der Breggen asked for mountain reinforcements last winter — and she got them. On the eve of the Ardennes Classics, and with all three Grand Tours on the calendar for 2026, the 35-year-old leader of SD Worx-Protime can call on Nienke Vinke. IDL Pro Cycling spoke exclusively to The 21-year-old who joined SD Worx from Picnic PostNL

Vinke has been racing at the top level for a surprisingly long time given her age. She made the step from NXTG U19 to Picnic PostNL (then Team DSM) back in 2023. She still had a contract with the Dutch squad, but there was a way out. "I can't say too much about it, but I had a clause in my contract that allowed me to leave after 2025," said the winner of the white jersey at last year's Tour de France Femmes.

She then finished second overall at the Tour Down Under in 2024 and recorded a ninth place finish at the Vuelta a España last season. Her climbing credentials are well established. "This is a good step for me, because they've already developed a lot of young riders here," Vinke explained. "I can learn from many experienced riders. That's the fastest way to improve."

She settled in quickly at the team's first training camp. "I got tips straight away and had good conversations. I was getting to know everyone, because there are a lot of new faces and new impressions. But I like it and I think this is a good fit. Once we race together, that will be even better."

Heading into Friday's Brabantse Pijl, Vinke has only three race days under her belt in 2026, all spent riding for teammates. With the Ardennes triple on the horizon, the excitement is building. "The Ardennes Classics are the most important races for me. The races before weren't really about my own results. I want to perform well in the Ardennes — that terrain suits me better."

After the spring, Vinke will feature in stage races alongside Van der Breggen. The ambitions are high. A white jersey like the one she won at the 2025 Tour de France Femmes? A nice bonus — nothing more. "The young rider's jersey isn't the most important jersey in a race, so I don't really think about it. It wasn't a goal last year either. I just wanted to get the best out of myself, and that brought me the white jersey."

"Ultimately, you race to win. At SD Worx-Protime especially, we have Anna, Lotte [Kopecky] and so many others who can finish things off. That takes some pressure away. There's always pressure because you want to perform, but it's a different kind of pressure. I want to develop into a GC rider, so I hope to stand on the podium of a Grand Tour one day."