Wiebes struggled with timing due to headwind: "Fortunately, Kopecky delivered another perfect lead-out"

Lorena Wiebes has won the second stage of the UAE Tour for women, following her victory in the first stage. The 24-year-old Dutch sprinter clinched the bunch sprint after another perfect lead-out from Lotte Kopecky, thereby extending her lead in the general classification.

"The straight-line finish made it tough," Wiebes shared during the post-race interview. "There was a moment it got a bit risky; I was close to getting caught in a big crash, which is always a reminder to stay alert. I launched my sprint quite early, but it turned out to be enough. That was because the headwind made it difficult for me to time correctly and because Liv AlUla Jayco came by with a lot of speed. Luckily, I had enough support from the team and Lotte provided another perfect lead-out."

In the meantime, Kopecky faced no opposition in the intermediate sprints, snatching a valuable five seconds for the general classification. Wiebes consistently finished just behind her Belgian teammate, securing second place. "Lotte aimed for those extra seconds in the general classification, and I kept close behind to prevent others from snatching any," Wiebes concluded, reflecting on their strategy.