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Netherlands 24 Apr – 26 Apr 2026 Class W2.Ncup – Stages – UCI Class Nations’ Cup
Website www.wielercomite-sheerenhoek.nl
Email secretariaatovb@outlook.com
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2026 EPZ Omloop van Borsele Women Juniors
The EPZ Omloop van Borsele for Women Juniors is a premier three-day event on the UCI Nations’ Cup (2.Ncup) calendar. Taking place in ‘s-Heerenhoek, Netherlands, from April 24 to April 26, 2026, it is one of the most significant stage races for junior women globally.
Below is the detailed program for the Junior Women’s UCI Nations’ Cup event:
Race Schedule: Junior Women (UCI 2.Ncup)
| Date | Event | Start Time | Details |
| Friday, April 24 | Stage 1: ITT | 16:45 | Individual Time Trial (~13.6 km) |
| Saturday, April 25 | Stage 2: Road Race | 10:30 | Road Race (Stage 2) (~70.4 km) |
| Sunday, April 26 | Stage 3: Road Race | 10:30 | Road Race (Stage 3) (~72.9 km) |
Key Event Details
- Hub Location: All stages start and finish in ‘s-Heerenhoek, a village in the municipality of Borsele.
- Terrain: The course is famously flat but exposed to heavy winds from the North Sea, often leading to echelons and tactical “crosswind” racing across the Borselse bloemdijken (dikes).
- Classification: As a Nations’ Cup event, it features national teams rather than standard trade teams, serving as a critical proving ground for future professional talent.
Parallel Events
The “Omloop van Borsele” weekend is a massive cycling festival that includes other major categories:
- Women Elite (UCI 1.1): A high-level one-day race held on Saturday, April 25 starting at 14:00.
- Men Juniors (UCI 1.1): A one-day international race held on Sunday, April 26 starting at 14:00.
- Elite Time Trial: A national-level time trial held on Friday evening following the Junior Women’s ITT.
Pro Tip: If you are attending, keep a close eye on the weather forecast. In Borsele, the wind often determines the winner more than the legs do!
Elena Lopes is one of the standout junior riders representing Luxembourg (Team Lëtzebuerg) at the 2026 EPZ Omloop van Borsele.
She is widely considered one of the country’s most promising young cycling talents, known for her versatility across road, cyclo-cross, and track disciplines.
Current Profile & Role for Borsele 2026
For the 2026 Nations’ Cup edition, Elena Lopes is part of a small but focused Luxembourgish delegation alongside June Nothum.
- Discipline Specialist: While she is competing in this road Nations’ Cup, Lopes is also a high-level track and cyclo-cross rider. Just a week before Borsele, she competed in the International Belgian Track Meeting in Ghent.
- Tactical Strength: Her experience in cyclo-cross gives her an edge in the technical, high-wind “echelon” conditions typical of the Borsele dikes.
Recent Career Highlights (2025–2026)
- National Championships (Road): In the 2025 Luxembourgish Junior Road Race, she secured a Silver Medal, finishing just behind the winner in a competitive field.
- Cyclo-Cross (CX): In January 2026, she finished 2nd at the Luxembourg National Cyclo-cross Championships in Diekirch, showcasing her fitness heading into the 2026 road season.
- Development: She has been consistently selected for the National Team (FSCL) for major international fixtures, marking her as a core part of Luxembourg’s strategy to develop a successor to elite riders like Christine Majerus.
Expectations for the Race
In the three-day Borsele format:
- Stage 1 (ITT): Lopes typically uses her power from the track to post a competitive time.
- Stages 2 & 3 (Road): Her primary goal is to stay in the front echelons. For a rider of her profile, surviving the “wind-splitting” of the Dutch peloton is the ultimate test of her international potential.
She will be wearing the distinctive light blue, white, and red national colors of Luxembourg throughout the weekend.
June Nothum enters the 2026 EPZ Omloop van Borsele as Luxembourg’s premier Junior prospect and a rising force in international cycling.
If Elena Lopes is the versatile all-rounder, June Nothum is the national powerhouse. Fresh off a dominant start to the 2026 season, she is expected to lead the “Team Lëtzebuerg” selection in the Dutch dikes.
Current Form & 2026 Highlights
June has had an exceptional start to the year, proving she can compete with the best in Northern Europe’s difficult spring conditions:
- National Champion (CX): In January 2026, June claimed the Gold Medal at the Luxembourg National Cyclo-cross Championships in Diekirch, finishing over a minute ahead of her teammate Elena Lopes.
- Spring Success: Just weeks before Borsele, she secured a 3rd place podium at the Souvenir Marcel Gilles and a top-15 finish at the Eeklo road race in Belgium, showing she has the “Belgian/Dutch” racing style in her DNA.
- International Experience: She was also selected for the prestigious Piccolo Trofeo Alfredo Binda (UCI 1.Ncup) in Italy earlier this season, gaining vital experience in the Nations’ Cup peloton.
Her Role at Borsele 2026
In a race defined by crosswinds and positioning, June Nothum is Luxembourg’s best bet for a high General Classification (GC) finish.
- The Time Trial: She has shown a strong engine in solo efforts, which will be critical for Stage 1 on Friday afternoon. A top-20 finish in the ITT would set her up as a protected rider for the weekend.
- The Echelons: Given her cyclo-cross background, she excels in high-intensity, technical racing. Her primary objective will be to stay in the first group when the peloton inevitably splits on the narrow, wind-swept roads of Borsele.
- Team Dynamics: She and Elena Lopes (who often race together for the Minimax WB Cycling Team at the club level) provide Luxembourg with a “double threat” strategy, allowing them to cover different attacks.
Looking Ahead
June is following a trajectory similar to Luxembourg’s elite stars like Marie Schreiber. Her performance at Borsele is a key metric for her development, as the race is one of the few Junior events that truly mimics the tactical complexity of a Professional Women’s WorldTour classic.
You will see her in the Team Lëtzebuerg colors, likely sporting a high-start number as one of the seeded riders in the field.
Austria and Luxembourg in the 2026 EPZ Omloop van Borsele
In the 2026 EPZ Omloop van Borsele (UCI 2.Ncup), small national federations often form Combined Teams to ensure their top athletes get high-level international exposure.
For 2026, Austria and Luxembourg have once again joined forces to field a competitive roster of Junior Women. This partnership allows them to share logistical support (mechanics, soigneurs, and team cars) while providing a larger tactical presence in the peloton.
The Combined Roster: Austria / Luxembourg (NAT)
The squad for the 2026 edition features a mix of Luxembourg’s cyclo-cross power and Austria’s climbing and time-trial talent.
| Rider | Nationality | Notable Profile |
| June Nothum | Luxembourg | Team Leader; 2026 National CX Champion. |
| Elena Lopes | Luxembourg | Versatile rider; Silver medalist at 2025 Road Nationals. |
| Lea Sophie Unterköfler | Austria | Strong time-trialist; key for Stage 1 performance. |
| Carolina Trattner | Austria | Climbing specialist; valuable for controlling the pace. |
Team Strategy for the “Windy Weekend”
- Stage 1 (ITT): The team’s primary goal is to place June Nothum and Lea Sophie Unterköfler as high as possible. A strong start here is vital for maintaining a good position in the team car convoy for the road stages.
- Stages 2 & 3 (The Dikes): In the crosswinds of Zeeland, the team will look to protect Nothum. Elena Lopes and Carolina Trattner will act as “road captains,” helping to shield the leaders and ensuring they are in the front echelon when the wind splits the peloton.
- Communication: Despite representing two different countries, these riders often compete against each other in the European circuit and have high levels of mutual respect. In a combined team, they operate under a single “Directeur Sportif” to coordinate attacks.
Why Combine?
In the UCI Nations’ Cup, national teams are usually required to have a minimum number of riders to enter. For nations like Luxembourg and Austria, which may have fewer specialized Junior Women available on a specific weekend, a combined team ensures they don’t miss out on vital UCI points that are necessary for qualifying for the World Championships.
Look out for: The riders will likely wear their respective national jerseys (Luxembourg’s blue/white/red and Austria’s red/white/red), making them one of the most colorful and easily identifiable groups in the pack.
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
The EPZ Omloop van Borsele has evolved from a small local race into one of the most prestigious dates on the international women’s cycling calendar. While the “Elite” race dates back to 2002, the Junior Women’s version has a unique history as a critical stepping stone for future world champions.
Origins and Growth
- The Early Years: The event began in 2002 in the village of ‘s-Heerenhoek (Zeeland, Netherlands). It was initially a national-level race for elite women.
- Expansion to Juniors: Recognizing a gap in international racing for young women, the organizers added a dedicated Junior race. It quickly became a favorite due to its challenging “Zeeland” conditions—flat roads, narrow dikes, and punishing North Sea winds.
- UCI Status: The Elite race joined the UCI calendar in 2006. The Junior event followed suit, eventually achieving the highest possible status for its category: the UCI Women Junior Nations’ Cup (2.Ncup).
The Nations’ Cup Transformation
In 2017, the Junior Women’s race was officially integrated into the UCI Nations’ Cup. This changed the dynamic of the race in several ways:
- National Teams: Instead of individual trade clubs, the race primarily features national teams (e.g., Team NL, Team GB, Team USA), making it a “mini-World Championship.”
- Stage Race Format: It moved from a one-day race to a three-day stage race, typically featuring an Individual Time Trial (ITT) on Friday followed by two grueling road stages on Saturday and Sunday.
A Proven Talent Factory
The history of the Omloop van Borsele is defined by the legends who raced there as juniors. Because the wind-swept dikes require both physical strength and tactical brilliance (handling echelons), it is considered the ultimate test for a young rider’s “race craft.”
Notable past winners and participants include:
- Marianne Vos: A multi-time winner of the Elite race (2005, 2006, 2007) who helped put the event on the map.
- Kirsten Wild: Holds the record for most Elite wins (5) and was a staple of the event’s history.
- Elisa Balsamo: Won the race in 2018, later becoming a World Champion.
- Lorena Wiebes: Won in 2019, cementing her status as the world’s best sprinter.
The 2025/2026 Context
The event faced a significant hurdle in 2025 when the edition was unfortunately cancelled due to a shortage of Dutch police for race security—a common issue for European races that year. However, its return in 2026 marks a major “comeback” edition, reaffirming its place as the definitive spring classic for the world’s best junior female cyclists.
