Lorena Wiebes Continues Dominance with Attacking Victory at Ixina Leeuw-Oetingen

Lorena Wiebes of Team SD Worx–Protime secured her third victory at the Ixina Leeuw-Oetingen race on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, but in a surprising turn of events, she didn’t win with a traditional sprint finish. Instead, Wiebes launched a decisive attack on the Zavelberg, demonstrating her growing climbing prowess.

Fleur Moors (Lidl-Trek) was the only rider able to respond to Wiebes’ acceleration in the final 3km, but ultimately settled for second place. Megan Jastrab (UAE Team ADQ) completed the podium, outsprinting Ilse Pluimers (AG Insurance-Soudal) from a chase group.

How the Race Unfolded

The 140km race featured 19 cobbled sectors and six finishing loops, including the challenging 7.1%, 600m Zavelberg climb just over 2km from the finish line.

The initial 50km saw surprisingly little action, with breakaway attempts quickly neutralized. As the race entered the circuit laps, a four-rider group briefly gained an advantage but was soon reeled back in by the peloton. Echelons formed in the Belgian countryside, causing a split in the bunch, but the peloton quickly regrouped.

With 45km remaining, teams SD Worx-Protime, AG Insurance-Soudal, and Lidl-Trek increased the pace, repeatedly exploding on each climb. These accelerations whittled down the group, but no rider could establish a significant lead. Several riders were caught out on the narrow climbs due to crashes or mechanical issues.

As the race entered the final 20km, a sprint finish seemed likely, but riders were reluctant to allow that to happen. Anne Dijkstra (VolkerWessels) attacked with 12km to go, taking Marta Lach (SD Worx-Protime) with her, but the move was short-lived.

The decisive moment came on the Zavelberg with less than 3km to go, when Wiebes attacked, immediately creating a gap alongside Fleur Moors. The duo quickly distanced themselves from two chasers, and the peloton fragmented behind. Wiebes powered on, and in the final hundred meters, her acceleration proved insurmountable, securing her third victory in Oetingen.

Results

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Wiebes’ Impressive Season

Lorena Wiebes, born March 17, 1999, currently rides for Team SD Worx–Protime . She was the most dominant rider of 2025, achieving 25 road victories, a gravel world title, and two rainbow jerseys on the track. She has steadily developed her climbing abilities, leading to victories in classic races such as Milan–San Remo and Gent–Wevelgem.

This victory marks Wiebes’ first European win of the season following her successful performance at the UAE Tour and serves as a strong statement ahead of the upcoming Classics, where she will defend her titles at Milan-San Remo and Gent-Wevelgem.

Wiebes opened 2026 with three WorldTour wins at the UAE Tour and aims to add more classic victories this season.