Kathrin Schweinberger scored her first podium of 2026 with a second-place finish at Veenendaal – Veenendaal, delivered to the line by a superb lead-out from her teammates at the end of the 120 km one-day race in the Utrecht province of the Netherlands.
A supreme lead-out combination backed the Austrian champion on the road, with Carlotta Cipressi, Wiktoria Pikulik, Lily Williams, Jente Koops, and Maggie Coles-Lyster setting the 29-year-old up as she chased winner Charlotte Kool (Fenix-Premier Tech).
“I had a really good lead-out from my team, so I think with the second place, we can be really happy today,” Schweinberger said afterwards. “Of course, you always want to win. But we all know that Charlotte is really strong. I’m really happy with the result from today.”
The result marks a return to form for Schweinberger after a heavy spring block.
“I had some time to rest and recover after the spring Classics, and then I had a really good build-up at altitude,” she says. “It’s good to put a line under the first part of the season, to reset and focus on what I’m good at, take it calmer and put some good work in during training, so I had a good feeling coming into the race.”
The race was punctuated by two lone attacks, but the team also had to work early on to reel in a dangerous split caused by a pause at a railway crossing.
“We decided to gamble for a sprint, and we had to put in quite an effort already in the beginning when the first group went,” Schweinberger explained. “We were in the bunch, but not in the first group, so there we had to chase. We had already invested a lot in the beginning, so we said, ‘Okay, it’s now the time for the other teams to work a bit.’ But the gamble paid off.”
Having caught the final escape inside the finale, Schweinberger could then count on a strong team display. Koops and Williams went all-in, marshalling the front, with Coles-Lyster providing the final turn, positioning Schweinberger perfectly around the last corner.
“I’m super impressed by all of them, so the goal was to give something back,” Schweinberger says. “We rode well all day. Carlotta was our road captain and did a really good job on the radio and then with positioning and riding together. Lily made the right call on the radio to say, ‘Now we go,’ and it was perfect timing.”
The result also marks the first podium atop the speedy Factor ONE aero bike.
“I love the bike,” says Schweinberger. “The whole setup with the BlackInc wheels, I just feel really aero on it and how I sit on the bike. When you have this good feeling, it gives you confidence when the race is going fast and, of course, for the sprint.”
The same squad now heads to Belgium with renewed confidence for the gravel-laden Antwerp Port Epic Ladies on May 24, and sprint-friendly GP Mazda Schelkens on May 25.
“We are on a really good wave riding as a team, and this will be important for Sunday,” says Schweinberger. “It will be a harder race, and there are more key points, so positioning will be crucial, but we will try our best. You also need a bit of luck on this gravel, but if we work well together again in both races, it’s an exciting opportunity.”
Veenendaal – Veenendaal results
1 KOOL Charlotte – Fenix-Premier Tech 3:06:11
2 SCHWEINBERGER Kathrin – Human Powered Health ”
3 VEENHOVEN Nienke – Team Visma | Lease a Bike ”
4 SCAVONE Dina – Carbonbike Giordana Sofré by Gen Z ”
5 UNEKEN Lonneke – VolkerWessels Cycling Team ”
6 ALZINI Martina – Cofidis Women Team ”
7 LACH Marta – Team SD Worx – Protime ”
8 SOUREN Scarlett – VolkerWessels Cycling Team ”
9 SCHMID Kaia – O’Shea Red Chilli Bikes ”
10 LUNDMARK Clara – Minimax Cycling Team ”
Photos: HPHCycling, Veenendaal – Veenendaal, GettySport
