There was numerous speak this Spring about ‘Sammen Winnen’ – the ‘Successful Collectively’ slogan of Jumbo-Visma – and the way it compares to the ‘Vincere Insieme’ of the previous Mapei workforce and the present ‘Wolfpack’ branding at QuickStep. Nonetheless, the flag flying highest in skilled biking proper now could be absolutely the ‘Move with the Go’ of SD Worx.
That motto might sound primarily meaningless in and of itself, nevertheless it stands for a wider philosophy, honed partly by a bikepacking journey in California, that has seen the Dutch workforce dominate the Classics thus far this Spring.
It is hardly new, given the workforce loved related success and related concord again within the Boels Dolman days, however this yr the workforce spirit seems stronger than ever.
“We’re flying excessive,” workforce director and former professional Lars Growth instructed Cyclingnews after Demi Vollering gained Wednesday’s Dwars door Vlaanderen to present the workforce’s Classics tally to 6 thus far this Spring.
“This group of women is working notably effectively collectively. There’s a nice vibe within the lodge. We’re having enjoyable, and that is what biking is all about.”
Vollering herself insisted the environment within the workforce camp is best than ever. The Dutchwoman is a relative newcomer, becoming a member of in 2021 and turning into one of many world’s prime riders, however sees enchancment in an already-successful 2022.
“We have grown lots as a workforce – once more,” Vollering mentioned. “This yr, you may really feel the spirit within the workforce is tremendous, tremendous good. We’re actually prepared to present it our all for everyone.”
Like Jumbo-Visma’s males’s squad are doing now, and as QuickStep and Mapei did so usually, SD Worx are using a multi-leader technique for the Classics, enjoying the numbers recreation.
At Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Lotte Kopecky gained solo as Lorena Wiebes mopped up from the group behind, a state of affairs that repeated itself at Nokere Koerse, with one other 1-2 sandwiched in between at Strade Bianche, this time that includes Vollering and Kopecky.
The primary Flemish Classics interval has continued the theme, with Marlen Reusser taking Gent-Wevelgem and Vollering Dwars door Vlaanderen – each in solo strikes constructed on the presence of teammates within the teams behind.
“We’re a workforce, and we win races as a result of we’re a workforce,” Growth mentioned.
“You noticed that immediately [at Dwars]; Demi assaults, and Marlen is right away in second wheel serving to her [by disrupting the chase]. That is why we win. That is why Marlen wins Gent-Wevelgem and why Lotte gained Flanders final yr. We’re a workforce.”
Egos, hierarchy, and concord
Like evening follows day, any surplus of stars will include its personal query marks over egos, hierarchy, and concord.
At Strade Bianche, Vollering ended up sprinting towards Kopecky, expressing shock that her teammate had opened the faucets as a substitute of sitting up for an arm-in-arm celebration. Some discovered it refreshing that there was no present or choreography, whereas others used it as gas for the narrative of an inner rivalry. In the meantime, in a Belgium usually expectant of its house stars, there are delicate strategies that Kopecky is someway ‘caught’ within the crowded home.
“Now, in Belgium, they’re searching for every kind of issues,” Growth mentioned, dismissing any trace of controversy.
Vollering backed this up in her press convention with an impassioned response to a Kopecky-loaded query about inner pressure, which ended up as one thing of a paean to the workforce’s philosophy.
“No, no, no, for certain not,” she mentioned. “That is very nice for Lotte additionally. If I or Marlen or whoever else is already in entrance, then she will be able to do the identical as I did, and the opposite manner round. That makes us robust as a workforce.
“In our workforce, it does not matter who wins so long as our workforce wins. This spirit actually lives in our workforce. Everyone is absolutely standing behind this. For those who do one thing for one of many workforce, you realize it is coming again to you someday. We do not have unhealthy emotions within the workforce or really feel like we have now competitors between one another.”
Staff spirit
However the place does this workforce spirit come from? In a manner, it predates both Vollering or Growth’s arrival on the workforce, given the best way the likes of Anna van der Breggen, Lizzie Deignan, and Chantal Van den Broek-Blaak used to mix a number of years in the past.
Nonetheless, it must be regularly nurtured as new faces come by the revolving door, and Vollering and Growth each recognized the workforce’s winter camps as key bonding experiences.
First up was a visit to California, funded by US bike provider Specialised, the place all of them went on a bikepacking journey, after which on the correct coaching camps in Spain, all of them shared a home collectively.
“Our journey to California performed an enormous half, bikepacking with one another and being so shut with one another. Since then, we have now this good workforce spirit the entire time,” Vollering mentioned.
“We have had another camps collectively, and typically we have been a bit like, ‘perhaps this can be a bit an excessive amount of,’ nevertheless it’s good as a result of we all know one another so effectively now. We’re actually enjoying the sport effectively.”
Growth added: “All of it begins with the primary camp, this yr in America with some tenting, some cooking for one another. Then three coaching camps within the huge home in Spain the place they stayed collectively, made meals collectively, helped one another, and performed video games collectively. There you do not return to the lodge room after dinner with out seeing one another all night. The basics are constructed there, I believe.”
All of it appears to be bearing fruit, though the ultimate judgement will come after the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. Growth insisted there is no feeling that they’re ‘unbeatable’ however did not see how issues might be a lot better proper now.
Requested about these comparisons with Jumbo-Visma, Mapei, and QuickStep, he mentioned with a smile: “That is Staff SD Worx.”
