Belgian Olympian Sandrine Tas is making a significant career shift from speed skating to professional road cycling. Tas, who recently participated in the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, narrowly missed a medal, finishing seventh in the 3000m and fourth in the 5000m by a mere 0.13 seconds. She also achieved sixth place in the team pursuit and 13th in the mass start, replicating her fourth-place finish in the 5000m at the World Championships.
After a rigorous winter season, Tas took a break to recuperate before transitioning to cycling, where she will compete for Lotto Intermarche Ladies. Expressing her excitement, Tas mentioned, “Over the past few weeks, I’ve been training hard, and fortunately, everything has gone well. I feel ready to start racing again, and I’m really looking forward to wearing the Lotto Intermarche kit for the first time.”
With her background in speed skating, Tas is expected to adapt smoothly as she prepares for her debut in a UCI Women’s WorldTour race. She expressed her honor, stating, “Making my debut in such a prestigious race is a real honor. I’m sure it will be an invaluable experience for me.” Cycling has been a significant part of Tas’ life, influencing her culturally in Belgium and aiding her in her skating career.
Having shifted her focus to road racing in 2021, Tas has shown steady progress, moving from national championships to a top-10 finish in 2025. Along the way, she clinched the Elite 2 national title in 2024 and secured a silver medal the following year. Despite her accomplishments, Tas acknowledges the challenges ahead, mentioning, “I still have a lot to learn, how to move within a pack, and about positioning.”
As she embarks on this new endeavor, Tas aims to utilize her competitive spirit and endurance to establish herself in cycling, building on her successful career on the ice.
