In the end, it was once again a demonstration of power when Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx - Protime), driven on by her team-mate Christine Majerus, made a short uphill sprint about 100 metres before the finish on the cobbles of the VAM-Berg, creating a gap with just a few kicks that left no questions unanswered. It was the start to her fourth victory in a row at the Ronde van Drenthe, where she is now the record winner ahead of Marianne Vos.
The 24-year-old Dutchwoman won ahead of Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) and Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck), who were right on Wiebes' wheel at the start but were then shown their limits.
First podium for Pieterse
The three who finished on the podium had already been among the protagonists during the 159 long uneventful kilometres, when Pieterse took the initiative to form a group on the penultimate of the six rides up the VAM mountain, which included the two of them. Wiebes, however, had little interest, knowing that she could rely on her inimitable sprint in the final. Everything came together again.
And so it went up the VAM mountain one last time, but nobody could doubt Wiebes' leading role, as she celebrated her 75th victory. While Balsamo had already finished second at the Ronde van Drenthe in 2022 and fourth last year, 21-year-old Pieterse, who has already won several World Cups in cyclo-cross, celebrated her first podium in only her sixth race on the road.
Ronde van Drenthe 2024 results - the top 10
- Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx - Protime) 4:09:09
- Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) +0:02
- Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck) +0:04
- Letizia Paternoster (Liv Jayco AlULA) +0:04
- Victoire Berteau (Cofidis) +0:04
- Vittoria Guazzini (FDJ-Suez) +0:04
- Christina Schweinberger (Fenix-Deceuninck) +0:04
- Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Uno-X Mobility) +0:08
- Christine Majerus (SD Worx - Protime) +0:11
- Pfeiffer Georgi (dsm-firmenich PostNL) +0:12
How the Ronde van Drenthe 2024 went
Everyone was awake after the first crossing of the VAM climb. Alex Morrice (Canyon//SRAM Racing) crashed on the descent, causing the peloton to split in two for the first time, but this was quickly patched up. Around 50 kilometres had already been ridden when Valerie Demey (Volkerwessels Pro Cycling Team) broke away from the peloton and built up a lead of a good two and a half minutes. The race situation remained constant for a long time.
With a good 40 kilometres to go, the race really got going. While Demey only had a few seconds left, SD Worx - Protime and Fenix-Deceuninck stepped up the pace, which led to new cracks in the peloton on the narrow roads.
Tension on the penultimate VAM mountain
Before the penultimate crossing of the VAM climb, around 50 riders were still together. dsm-firmenich PostNL led the favourites up the climb. It was Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck) who pulled the group over the cobbled finish line. Wiebes, Pfeiffer Georgi and Charlotte Kool (dsm-firmenich PostNL) were able to follow directly, Alice Towers (Canyon//SRAM Racing), Majerus, Balsamo and Christina Schweinberger (Fenix-Deceuninck) were able to catch up again a little later.
The co-operation did not go smoothly, Pieterse was constantly gesticulating to get the breakaway riders to cooperate. But they didn't go full throttle at the front, so the gaps remained in the lower seconds range, 15 with 25 kilometres to go. The chasing group of around 25 riders, on the other hand, went full throttle, so that six kilometres later the gap was closed again and the cards were reshuffled.
Wiebes on another level
However, nothing else happened until the absolute final. It was only one and a half kilometres before the end that things got hot again. That's when the battles for position began and after dsm had pulled the pace through Georgi, SD Worx was suddenly a little behind. Georgi took the lead into the 90-degree bend that led onto the VAM mountain terrain. At the change of direction, the lead stretched out, but no team was able to capitalise on this.
And so Wiebes was back on Majerus' rear wheel. While dsm ran out of steam, Majerus flew up the bends. Behind Wiebes, only Balsamo and Pieterse were able to keep up at first. By the time they hit the 100 metre long cobbled section, Majerus had done her job. Her captain ignited the turbo and had opened up a gap to her pursuers in just a few pedal strokes, which was enough for a commanding victory. Balsamo and Pieterse completed the podium.
