Last week, the 24-year-old rider competed in the Setmana Ciclista-Volta Comunitat Valenciana Fèmines. "We were present with a strong team. My highlight was third place in the final stage. A reduced peloton with strong riders was condemned to a sprint for third place. It gives me a lot of confidence that I could win that sprint. It is a nice boost for what is to come.”

Swinkels is referring, in particular, to the Omloop. This year’s race marks the eighteenth edition, the first time it has been part of the WorldTour. The race, which starts in Ghent and finishes in Ninove, is over 130 kilometres long and includes eight climbs and five cobbled sections.

"It's difficult to predict the course”, Swinkels says. "In the past, several scenarios have developed. It is nice to know that our team has different qualities. We have fast women who can do well in a bunch sprint and in a sprint of a reduced group. We also have riders who will not hesitate to jump into an attractive breakaway. This wide range of qualities is the strength of this team.”

For Swinkels herself, Saturday's race is part of the build-up to other goals later this spring. "But that doesn't mean that I'm going into Saturday without any ambition. The past week has given me a lot of confidence. And I can't wait to start the classic spring. I want to see where I stand and what I need to improve. But after Valencia, I can say that I am in good shape. That makes me even more excited”, the Dutchwoman says with a smile.

"I think we can achieve good results with different girls this spring”, Swinkels says. "There is something unpredictable about the team, in the positive sense of the word. It might be difficult for other teams to predict what we are capable of. If everything falls into place, we will hopefully be close to winning soon. We are all looking forward to it.”

Swinkels will be joined by teammates Coryn Labecki, Anna Henderson, Riejanne Markus, Amber Kraak and Linda Riedmann.