SD Worx-Protime boss: Teams are closing the gap, but that's good for cycling

Trying to emulate last year’s emphatic success was always going to be a tall order for SD Worx-Protime and their all-conquering squad, but the Dutch outfit have still enjoyed success this season and won more races than any other women’s team – all despite missing out on a victory in the Ardennes Classics.

That recent disappointment was soothed by the recent news that both title sponsors have extended their partnership with Erwin Janssen’s team until the end of 2028, and the Dutchman is busily building his squad for 2025 with several riders potentially linked to replace Demi Vollering, including Kasia Niewiadoma and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig.

Read more: SD Worx-Protime think Demi Vollering is heading to FDJ-SUEZ

“Of course, everyone compares it to 2023 and if you do that then the Classics weren’t as good as last year,” Janssen told GCN in a recent interview.

Last year SD Worx won almost every major race on the calendar, including Strade Bianche, the Tour of Flanders, the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift and all three of the Ardennes Classics. This year they missed out at the Ardennes but won their first Paris-Roubaix and defended their title in Strade Bianche.

Vollering failed to win a race in the early skirmishes but was consistently present throughout the Classics, and there’s no doubt that rivals squads such as Lidl-Trek and FDJ-SUEZ have closed what was a chasm in 2023.

“But you have to ask how realistic that was going to be. It was pretty impossible to have that success again, even if you hope for it, and it’s the goal. This year it’s less but in general, we’ve had a good Classics season,” Janssen rightly pointed out.

“Of course, the last week in the Ardennes was disappointing but we had a second, second, and third place. That’s not bad, even though we wanted to win. But we won a lot, with Strade Bianche and Paris-Roubaix and we’ve won 16 races.”

The reality is that the level in the Women’s WorldTour has increased once again, and other squads have improved gaps in their rosters over the winter and taken the fight to SD Worx-Protime. There have been fair questions about the harmony within the Dutch team’s camp since the news of Vollering’s departure was made public but Janssen has previously dismissed the notion that his Tour de France winner has been distracted by the media speculation, and he believes that added competition is only good for the women’s sport.

"You can see several other teams are making steps, so the gap is getting closer but that’s good for the sport of cycling. It’s also good for us because it challenges us to get better and better. We train and work hard for that,” he said.

The biggest boon for the team, in terms of long-term success, was undoubtedly the news that both SD Worx and Protime opened up their contracts and extended until the end of 2028. In an increasingly difficult market, where sponsorship dollars are being questioned and cut back, such positive news cannot be underestimated, and it’s a credit to Janssen and his backroom staff who have annually built on their success.

“We are very happy with that. You can imagine. We talked for a long time with them and they’re really happy with us and a lot of people now know the brand awareness around SD Worx internationally. They’ve grown a lot and it’s not just because of the team but it certainly helps with their clients and customers. The goal for the team is to now stay at the top, and be number one,” he said.

Replacing the irreplaceable

With sponsors and budgets confirmed, Janssen can turn his attention to squad building. Lotte Kopecky and Lorena Wiebes have signed contract extensions but the majority of the team need new deals by the end of the year, while Anna Shackley was forced to retire earlier in April due to a heart condition.

The biggest need that Janssen must address is filling the void left by Vollering, who has been the team’s number one rider over the last few years. The continued development of Kopecky from sprinter into all-rounder continues apace but Janssen is aware that having a sole leader won’t be enough in 2025 if his team are going to remain the dominant force in women’s cycling.

That’s why his team have been linked to with Kasia Niewiadoma and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig. The Pole is out of contract at the end of the year, while GCN understands that Uttrup Ludwig, who shares an agent with Kopecky, is talking to several teams about a possible move away from FDJ-SUEZ.

Read more: FDJ-SUEZ shine despite injuries as Delcourt looks to improve squad on transfer market

According to Janssen, several existing contracts have already been agreed with riders on his own roster, but a leadership spot remains open.

"We’ve closed a lot of contracts. We need to formalise a few things but we’ll let you know. Without Demi we’re also busy and thinking about how to manage being in the best position in the stage races and hilly races. There is, for sure, a position that we want to fill in. It’s really hard to replace her, she’s one of the best riders in the world uphill, and we wanted to keep her but it is what it is. It’s hard to find a good solution to close that gap but we’re busy with that,” he said.

When specifically asked about the possibly of signing Uttrup Ludwig or Niewiadoma, the SD Worx-Protime boss replied: “I never say anything about talking to other riders but they are top riders and we have an eye on them but there are other ones. In the next period we have an idea on what our team will look like in 2025. I don’t say we’re talking to anyone but we do look to the market, who is available but also who fits with our team. We always look at if the rider fits with the other riders and the staff. It’s not just about the qualities on the bike but the qualities of the person.

“A few years ago you could manage it with just one or two top riders. Most of the time that was enough but now the sport is bigger and bigger, and there are more and more races. We have around 30% more races, so at the top of our team we need more alternatives.” he added.

One rider who hasn’t yet extended with the team for 2025 is veteran and former world champion Chantal van den Broek-Blaak. The Dutch rider took all of 2023 off from racing to have her first child and returned to action earlier this year. Janssen seemed relaxed about a possible extension for the 34-year-old and praised her influence on the team over several years.

“We don’t know at the moment. Chantal has brought us a lot. She makes the DNA of our team so if she wants to ride next season and gets back to how she wants to come back then I’m sure she will stay. For her, it’s also a new life now and she’s done everything to come back in a good way, so in the next period we’ll find out what her plans are. She’s working hard,” he said.

For more interviews from the pro peloton, visit our interviews library, and for more women's racing news, visit our women's racing page.