Tour de France Femmes
The Dutch squad has set a modest goal of a top-five GC finish, but Anna van der Breggen is a genuine contender.
Kristof Ramon
SD Worx-Protime carries high expectations into every single bike race, existing on a sliding scale of favourite to outstanding favourite. However, in the team’s communication heading into the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, you’d think they were coming without a big name to contest the overall. But in Anna van der Breggen, the Dutch squad has a genuine contender to take it all the way.
“This is a tough and varied course,” SD Worx sports manager Danny Stam said in pre-race quotes provided by the team. “Because the route is so challenging, few teams will have riders with the strength to truly control the race. That is why I expect an open Tour de France Femmes. It promises to be a great Tour de France for the neutral spectator.
“The time trial [on stage 4] is a nice addition, though I don’t expect the time gaps to be decisive for the general classification. Stages 6, 7, and 9 are simply too demanding for that. With so much elevation gain to tackle, there is little chance of mass sprints. The first two stages might end in a sprint, but otherwise, the race will likely be decided by breakaways where a small group contests the stage win. We have selected a well-balanced squad of seven riders, aiming for a stage victory and a top-five finish with Anna van der Breggen.”
Stam later reiterated: “[top 5] would make our Tour de France a success.”
The Tour sees Van der Breggen racing her third ‘Grand Tour’ of 2026 having finished second in both the Vuelta a España Feminina and Giro d’Italia Women, only losing the race lead on the final day of both events having built her lead on a stage win. No matter what the team tries to inject into the discourse, Van der Breggen was always going to be a top favourite at the Tour.
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