With the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift on the horizon, AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step is happy to report that Ashleigh Moolman Pasio will be continuing another year in the colours of their team. The experienced South African rider has already won three races this year and hopes to add some more this year and the year to come.
“Joining AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step was already an extension to my career and that’s why I initially only signed for one year,” Ashleigh said. “I felt from the Tour of Romandie at the end of last year and also at the training camps earlier this year that I am at my best. I love being part of this group of riders and it showed straight away with our start in Valencia. We learned as a team in every race and it only feels like a logical step for me to continue to reap the rewards of what we already learned and invested in. It’s a young group of riders and we are taking such great steps. I want to be part of the next steps and bring in the results.”
Moolman Pasio is a hugely experienced rider and fitted easily into the team, where half of the riders come through the AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step development pyramid of the U23 and U19 squads.
“I know I am a natural leader and have been since I was at school,” Ashleigh continues. “My style of leadership is one of leading by example. We rise by lifting others. I want to lead by inspiring and that fits very well with the team motto of unlocking the potential of everyone. I lead actively which means that I see when things can be improved, I propose these improvements, but also passively by always being available for questions and advice.”
Ashleigh will captain the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift team that will also comprise Justine Ghekiere (BEL), Maaike Boogaard (NED), Mireia Benito (ESP), Romy Kasper (GER), Julia Borgström (SWE) and Lotta Hentala (FIN).
“I am preparing for the Tour de France Femmes at an altitude camp at Font Romeu in the French Pyrenees. Because the Tour de France race course is one where you need more explosive efforts, I find a terrain here where I can train in a varied way, not only climbing or descending. In the Tour I will focus on my goals of winning and less actively on my coaching role like I would in smaller races. The Tour has been my big annual goal straight from the start. Although I would have loved that podium in the Ardennes, the results in Burgos, Durango and the Tour des Pyrenées confirm for me that I am on the right path. I am in a good mental and physical space and I feel better than ever before. The added positive energy of knowing that I stay with AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step gives an extra boost for what will hopefully be a fantastic Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.”
