Alex Morrice has won the Zwift Academy and secured a pro contract with CANYON//SRAM Racing. The World Tour Team and Zwift have announced Alex Morrice as the winner of the women’s 2022 talent identification and training program which provides the ultimate prize for any aspiring pro rider.
For the seventh year in a row, CANYON/SRAM Racing and Zwift, have awarded a Women’s World Tour pro contract after a week of finals in Denia, Spain. Morrice follows riders including Ella Harris, Tanja Erath and Neve Bradbury into the pro ranks from this unique pathway.
In order to earn her pro contract, Morrice set herself apart from the more than 160,000 Zwifters who participated in the 2022 Zwift Academy Road for men and women. Morrice was one of five women invited to the finals in Denia, where the finalists participated in Zwift challenges and races, met with coaches and team staff, and had the chance to ride with some of the pro riders from CANYON//SRAM Racing. Morrice distinguished herself for having exceptional athletic talent, impressive on-bike skills, and the necessary attitude to learn what it takes to succeed at the highest level of racing.
“I saw the series last year, enjoyed watching it and wanted to give it a go myself to see how far I could get. There’s no other opportunity quite like the Zwift Academy,” said Morrice.
Alex Morrice secures pro contract
“It was an immensely exciting week. It was great to meet the other finalists and professional athletes from the team, and I was able to learn a lot. I found the challenges tough but rewarding, and I was happy with how I rode during the finals. I saw it as an excellent opportunity to learn a lot about myself and my riding ability, so tried to channel my nerves towards maximising my performance.”
New CANYON//SRAM Racing lead Sport Director Magnus Bäckstedt said, “Alex impressed me with her current power numbers for the type of rider we were hoping to find for the team. She also displayed a good understanding of tactics, with a real feeling for the race moment, and she still has room to develop. Alex impressed during the whole week of finals, and we’re excited to welcome her to the team.”
In the coming days, you can join the Zwift Academy winners for rides in Watopia. The Alex Morrice CANYON//SRAM ride will be held on Monday, December 19 at 10:00PST | 11:00MST | 13:00EST | 18:00GMT | 19:00CET. The event can be found in the Zwift Companion App
With the addition of Morrice, CANYON//SRAM Racing now has a full roster of 15 riders for 2023:
Ricarda Bauernfeind and Antonia Niedermaier (Germany), Shari Bossuyt (Belgium), Neve Bradbury, Tiffany Cromwell and Sarah Roy (Australia), Elise Chabbey (Switzerland), Chloé Dygert (USA), Alex Morrice and Alice Towers (Great Britain), Kasia Niewiadoma and Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka (Poland), Soraya Paladin (Italy), Pauliena Rooijakkers and Maike van der Duin (Netherlands).
