From Speed Skating to Cycling: Sandrine Tas’ Journey to the Tour de France Femmes

Sandrine Tas, a former Olympic speed skater, has transitioned to professional road cycling with Lotto-Intermarché, making her debut at the Tour de France Femmes in August 2026. According to Cyclingnews, the 30-year-old Belgian athlete previously competed in inline and ice speed skating before moving to the professional peloton this year.

Tas entered the professional ranks after racing for the amateur Belco-Van Eyck. Her first six months with Lotto-Intermarché included two stage wins and a second-place overall finish at the Bretagne Ladies Tour in May 2026. She also secured a podium finish at the Belgian National Championships, placing second in the time trial and third in the road race, Cyclingnews reports.

Transition from Speed Skating to Road Cycling

Tas’ career began in inline speed skating, where she became a junior world champion and won 17 European titles. She shifted to ice speed skating in 2018 to pursue Olympic competition, as inline skating is not an Olympic discipline. This path led to appearances at the 2022 and 2026 Winter Olympics.

At the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Tas narrowly missed a bronze medal in the 5,000-meter event, finishing 0.13 seconds off the podium, according to Cyclingnews.

The shift to professional cycling required a significant adjustment in endurance. Tas told Cyclingnews that while discipline, preparation, and focus remained similar across sports, the physical demands differed greatly.

My longest race was seven minutes, and now it’s three or four hours. So the training changes a bit more towards endurance.
Sandrine Tas

Because of her Olympic commitments, Tas’ 2026 road season began later than typical professionals, with her debut occurring at La Flèche Wallonne.

Tour de France Femmes Debut and Team Status

The Tour de France Femmes represents only the second day of Women’s WorldTour racing for Tas. During the opening stage in Lausanne, she experienced a mechanical failure that required a front wheel change at a critical point in the race. Tas told Cyclingnews that she attempted to return to the lead group on the climbs but was unable to bridge the gap due to the high level of competition.

Lotto-Intermarché faced further setbacks during the event when three riders crashed out on stage 2. Tas continues the race alongside teammates Dina Boels, Romina Hinojosa, and Linda Riedmann.

Tas has identified the stage 4 time trial and sprint stages as her primary targets for the remainder of the race. She stated to Cyclingnews that her current focus is on learning and gaining strength for the 2027 season.

Precedents of Multi-Sport Athletes in Cycling

Tas’ transition follows a pattern of endurance athletes finding success in road cycling. Cyclingnews cites several high-profile examples of this phenomenon:

• Primož Roglič: A former ski jumper and four-time Vuelta a España winner.
• Michael Woods: A former elite long-distance runner.
• Maria Canins: A top Italian cross-country skier and double Tour de France Féminin winner.
• Clara Hughes: An athlete who earned Olympic medals in both speed skating and road cycling.