WATCH the 2022 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift LIVE and EXCLUSIVE on SBS, SBS On Demand and the SBS ŠKODA Tour Tracker App from 9:30pm (AEST) on July 24. We will also broadcast the Teams Presentation from 7:20pm (AEST) on July 24 LIVE via SBS On Demand.
Upon announcement of the six-rider squad, SD Worx sports manager Danny Stam made his intentions very clear as to what his team will aim to do at the inaugural eight-stage race.
"With Demi Vollering, we are going for the overall win," Stam said.
"It would be an insult to our ambition if we did not aim for a Tour win. The green jersey with Lotte Kopecky is also a goal, if it fits into our plans for the final victory."
Vollering has staked her claim as a contender for the race off the back of a very strong 2021 season.
The 25-year-old not only finished third in the Giro d'Italia Femminile that year, but took out the honours from the Liège–Bastogne–Liège, as well as finishing third in the same event this year.
Stam believes that the high expectations for Vollering to perform well in the Tour will not be an issue for the star rider.
"Vollering has made a main goal of this Tour de France. She is our leader for the yellow jersey," he said.
"Of course, there is a lot of pressure involved. The outside world expects her to win the Tour. But, Demi will have the necessary competition for the final victory."
Vollering's Belgian teammate, Kopecky, could also prove a strong chance of taking home a jersey in France, with a long list of credentials which include consecutive wins in the National Road Race Championships in 2020 and 2021, and four straight victories in the National Time Trial Championships from 2019 to 2022.
The 26-year-old was also successful in two other one-day races this year, the Tour of Flanders and Strade Bianche.
Team manager Stam signalled where the sprinter's talents would be best used in the race.
"Kopecky has indicated a number of stages where she wants to go for the stage win, including the third stage. This stage ends on a steep climb and this uphill finish should suit her," he said.
"She can take away points in different places, so green could be a possibility. There are a lot of points to win in the intermediate sprints, so we'll have to see how we deal with that."
The squad also features the talents of South African and GC contender Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio, Dutchwoman Chantal van den Broek-Blaak, Swiss rider Marlen Reusser and Luxembourgian Christine Majerus.
Stam believes that the overall strength and diversity of the team, which includes van den Broek-Blaak's abilities on the breakaway, could lead to a situation where the team are not only competing for stage victories but will also hone in on success in the general standings.
"Time will tell whether yellow and green are compatible," he said.
"After three stages we will have an idea if Lotte plays a role in the battle for the green jersey. Then we can see if it pays off to spend energy on the intermediate sprints. We have a team that is good on all terrains, that gives us several cards to play."
