Teamwork is the key to the success - www.strade-bianche.it

This photo was taken right after the finish of the 2021 Strade Bianche Women Élite.
You can see Piazza del Campo in the background, and three riders in the foreground, with a fourth one peeking out from behind. They’re celebrating all together.
As they’re wearing three different jerseys, one may think they’re rivals congratulating each other. Upon a closer look, however, you realize that they’re all team-mates at Sd Worx.
Then why the different colours and patterns? It’s easy to explain: one is South Africa’s national champion and one is the world champion, while the other two are wearing the team’s colours.

Another thing that captures our attention here is, someone’s missing from the picture. Chantal van den Broek-Blaak, a member of the same team, and – most importantly – the winner of the race, is not in the frame. The photo seems to suggest that these four were the ones who won the race, which is somehow true. Van den Broek-Blaak couldn’t have achieved what she has without their support, and they know it, so now they’re celebrating because they’ve had an active role in helping her pull off that win.
Should you ever wonder why cycling is considered as a collective sport, if only one actually wins, just look at this photograph and you’ll find the answer.