Ardennes Classics - Could SD Worx's distraction over Demi Vollering's future prevent a triple crown repeat?

There has been a lot of media buzz around Tour de France champion Demi Vollering during the spring racing block after reports of a €1 million contract offer, her potential departure from SD Worx-Protime, and public statements from team manager Erwin Janssen about the negotiation process between the team and Vollering's agent. 

Speculation about Vollering's future at SD Worx-Protime has led to some curiosity about whether it already has, or might become, a distraction during races and if it could potentially affect the team's overall performance at the upcoming Ardennes Classics. 

Janssen put many questions to rest, insisting that the breakdown in contract negotiations between SD Worx-Protime and Vollering wouldn’t affect the team's race in support of her throughout 2024. 

SD Worx-Protime has been the most dominant team on the Women's WorldTour since its inception in 2016, winning seven overall series titles in eight seasons. The team also employs highly professional athletes, and over the years, they have shown their ability to work well together tactically and cohesively, even despite the fact that the roster includes multiple winning cards to play at any given race.

During the Ardennes Classics, Vollering will line up as the defending champion at Amstel Gold Race on April 14, Flèche Wallonne on April 17 and Liège-Bastogne-Liège on April 21. Last year, she had her best-ever season dominating the three races before going on to win the overall title at the Tour de France.

But while Vollering is undoubtedly in pursuit of repeat victories in all three events, and future contract aside, she might be somewhat of a wildcard for SD Worx-Protime. At this point in the season last year, she had already secured two victories and two runner-ups before the Ardennes Classics.

Even though she has had strong performances at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad (6th) and Strade Bianche (3rd), Tour of Flanders (8th), and Brabantse Pijl (2nd), she has yet to win a race this season. However, due to her consistency on the international calendar, she is currently leading the UCI World Ranking.

Taking a slightly different approach to her preparations, she took time in between the Spring Classics to attend an altitude training camp. This was part of her longer-term plan to peak for the Ardennes Classics in April and Tour de France Femmes in August.

Although curiosity remains about SD Worx-Protime's overall cohesion in light of Vollering's potential departure at the end of the season and how the team will handle that out on the road, only time will tell whether SD Worx-Protime will go all-in for Vollering for another Ardennes Classics triple crown or if they will opt to support multiple riders across all three races.

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SD Worx with options

Vollering captured the cycling world's attention with her three victories during the Ardennes Classics last year, but that is not to say that SD Worx-Protime will want or need to focus their strategy solely on Vollering this time around.

In fact, capturing victory at all the Ardennes Classics—Amstel Gold Race, Flèche Wallonne, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège—in one season is a rare feat accomplished by only four riders in history: Davide Rebellin in 2004, Philippe Gilbert in 2011, Anna van der Breggen in 2017, and Vollering in 2023.

Although it would be remarkable for the team to win back-to-back Ardennes triple crowns, they will have multiple cards to play at all three events and will likely make tactical decisions one race at a time.

World Champion Lotte Kopecky will compete at both Amstel Gold Race and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. She arrives at this block fresh off a victory at Paris-Roubaix. She finished second to Vollering in her first attempt at the Amstel Gold Race last year and could be the team's best chance at a victory this year.

In addition, SD Worx will field riders like Lorena Wiebes and Mischa Bredewold at the Amstel Gold Race and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, while Niamh Fisher-Black, who was third overall at Setmana Valenciana, and Anna Shackley will be at Flèche Wallonne, giving the team multiple riders to watch in all three events.

Elisa Longo Borghini's all-in approach to the Ardennes

Elisa Longo Borghini and Lidl-Trek have mapped out a plan that includes the Italian Champion targetting the Ardennes Classics. 

While she has successfully competed in these events in previous years and is always a contender to watch, she has not yet won the Amstel Gold Race, Flèche Wallonne or Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

Her history at the Ardennes Classics has shown her potential for victory, even if it has not been a main target in previous seasons. She has finished 5th and 8th at Amstel Gold Race, three times on the podium at Flèche Wallonne, and twice on the podium at Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

Given her recent victories at the Tour of Flanders and Brabantse Pijl, this could, in fact, be her year to shine. 

Many questioned her decision not to race Paris-Roubaix Femmes last weekend, especially after her unbeatable ride at Flanders. However, this decision will show how committed she is to the Ardennes Classics.

Ardennes preparation at altitude

Altitude camps have played a factor in many riders' preparation ahead of major blocks during the season, particularly ahead of bigger stage races such as the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France.

However, several riders have opted to prepare for the Ardennes Classics and other long-term season targets by training at high altitude, including triple crown winner Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime), Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Insurance-Soudal) and former Amstel Gold and Flèche Wallonne winner Marta Cavalli (FDJ-SUEZ).

Vollering opted to travel to altitude for training in March after Strade Bianche and before cobbled Classics Dwars door Vlaanderen and Tour of Flanders. She said that taking the break from racing was important, not only to build fitness, to gain motivation ahead of bigger events.

"I went through a good altitude training in Sierra Nevada and was able to train well with Blanka Vas. I like to fit in altitude training during this period. I already did that in my first year with Team SD Worx-Protime, so this is the fourth time I have used this method. In this training stage you can work on your endurance for another period and I notice that I was able to take another extra step," Vollering said.

Moolman-Pasio opted for a lengthy break and high-altitude training camp instead of competing at the cobbled Classics and perhaps will arrive fresher than her rivals as she contests the Ardennes Classics.

"Believe it or not, after many years in the saddle, this is the first time I've dedicated myself to a proper altitude block in preparation for the Ardennes Classics. I'm eager to see how this new approach impacts my performance on the road," she said.

Cavalli has only competed in one race so far this season, Trofeo Alfredo Binda, and will next line up at Flèche Wallonne to begin the next phase of her racing block. She spent time training at Mount Teide, a popular training spot on Tenerife.

"Three nice weeks at the top of Teide are passed, it’s time to go home, recover and start the real season! Evita Muzic and me have survived and we also had good times. Thanks FDJ-SUEZ and  & Teide Altitude Training for the opportunity to train in the best way possible."

Wide-open racing

Many predicted that SD Worx-Protime would dominate the season after their success last year, which saw them win a whopping 62 races in 2023. Ten of those were won before the Ardennes Classics.

The team has won 14 races so far this year, and compared to last year, it has added more wins at the UAE Tour and Setmana Valenciana to the mix.

That said, many have viewed the top-tier racing to be much more wide-open this year.

SD Worx didn't compete in the Australian summer season of racing that saw Sarah Gigante (AG Insurance-Soudal Team) and Rosita Reijnhout (Visma-Lease a Bike) win the Tour Down Under and Cadel Evans Road Race, respectively.

Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike) won Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Pro Series Dwars door Vlaanderen, while Lidl-Trek's Elisa Balsamo won Trofeo Alfredo Binda and Brugge-De Panne and Longo Borghini won Tour of Flanders and Pro Series Brabantse Pijl.

The riders racing into the later stages of the top-level races and the mix of riders standing on the podiums this season bodes well for highly-anticipated and wide-open racing at the Ardennes Classics.