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Get your week started with the latest news in women’s cycling
UAE Team ADQ and Valcar – Travel & Service Team have announced the establishment of the UAE’s first women’s development team. In a press release, they stated: “Valcar – Travel & Service team, which is single-handedly responsible for developing some of the most impressive female riders in recent years, is set to metamorphose into the newly established UAE Development Team.” As part of this new squad, UAE Team ADQ will offer mentorship and performance-based professional contract opportunities to young riders. Support services offered to the new riders also include individual performance coaching, supervised training and mental coaching.
Team DSM has revealed its rider roster for 2023, as well as this season’s kit, which features the same distinctive two stripes and some very subtle changes to last year’s design. The team will get the new season underway at the UAE Tour in February.
Maria Schreiber has signed with Team SD Worx for three years. The Luxembourg rider will also remain active in cyclocross in the coming years, as the Dutch squad aims to become more prominent in this discipline.
Two months after key sponsor Le Col unexpectedly backed out, UK-based holistic wellness company Lifeplus will step in as a sponsor to the previously-entitled Le Co – Wahoo team. The British squad will be riding as Lifeplus – Wahoo in 2023 and 2024.
The Belgian team Fenix-Deceuninck has announced the roster for its WWT team and Development squad.
A new German squad will join the ranks of the UCI Continental teams this season. Bike brand Rose became a new sponsor and together with long term partners Maxx-Solar, the team will ride as Maxx-Solar Rose Women Racing. The squad’s 2023 line-up includes riders from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and France. The reduction of its ecological footprint will continue to play a major role in the German outfit’s goals.
The UCI Cyclocross World Cup has revealed the route for the next round in Benidorm, Spain, which is scheduled for 22 January. For the first time in 11 years, the cyclocross world cup will be held in Spain again. The riders will face several technical difficulties, including a challenging climb, before a technical downhill takes them towards the finish line for another challenging lap.
Le Samyn des Dames has announced that the 25 teams, including six WWT squads, which were invited, have confirmed their participation in this year’s race on 28 February.
In news from Fenix-Deceuninck Team, former Portuguese national road and EU track champion Maria Martins will ride for the squad until the end of 2023, while 21 year-old Swiss rider Petra Stiasny and 28 year-old Austrian former pro running athlete, Carina Schrempf will stay with the squad until the end of 2024.
The 2023 women’s edition of the Mont Ventoux Challenge will not take place, due to a lack of funding. The first edition of the historic climb was held in 2022 and won by Marta Cavalli. Organisers hope to be able to bring back the race in the future.
Yara Kastelijn will miss the rest of the cyclocross season as an injury she sustained in Loenhout is still affecting her. She is now focusing on getting ready for the road season. Pauline Ferrand Prevot will also have to cut the cyclocross season short due to an injury she suffered at the World Cup in Gavere in late December. She is now preparing for the MTB season starting in April. Meanwhile, Sanne Cant will end her season also earlier than expected to rest up for the upcoming road races.
The Life Time Grand Prix in the USA has announced its riders for 2023. The gravel and mountain bike series runs from April to October and features, among others, former pro road rider Emily Newsom, Ruth Winder, and cyclocross rider Rebecca Fahringer.
Australian Cycling has published a ten-page document outlining and detailing the national championship kit for 2023. For those who are interested in the specifics, it is available here.
A study by HAN University in Nijmegen has shown a high prevalence of low bone density in professional riders, which puts them at an increased risk of fractures and osteoporosis. Around two-thirds of the pro riders examined, which included both men and women, had low bone density. The condition affected women mostly early in their careers and cannot always be fully reversed once they retire. Results also indicated that low scores were associated with low BMI, fracture incidence, lack of bone-specific physical activity, and low energy availability in active career elite riders.
Results
Australian Elite ITT championships: Grace Brown ahead of Georgie Howe and Brodie Chapman.
Tour Down Under
Schwalbe Classic: Ally Wollaston (AG Insurance – Soudal Quick-Step Team) ahead of Michaela Drummond (Zaaf Cycling Team) and Nina Buijsman (Human Powered Health)
Stage 1: Daria Pikulik (Human Powered Health) ahead of Clara Copponi (FDJ – Suez – Futuroscope) and Georgia Baker (Team Jayco – Alula)
National Cyclocross Championships – Belgium: Sanne Cant ahead of Marion Norbert Riberolle and Alicia Franck
Vox Performance Project
Maz Hedley Lewis, one of our Vox Performance participants and a self-confessed data junkie, shares some of the knowledge she gained from the experts at Precision Fuel and Hydration, as well as Supersapiens data insights from her Mallorca rides! Have a read here.
Zwift Blog
In her latest exclusive Zwift blog, Kristen Faulkner delves into some of the things she wishes she knew when she started cycling, from the importance of a T-shaped skillset, being comfortable with imperfection and knowing that recovery is as important as training.
This week in cycling history
Dr Christiane Soeder
15 January was Christina Soeder’s birthday. The now 48 year old German-born Austrian road cyclist won the national Austrian road and time trial championships several times. She also took the bronze medal at the 2007 World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany in the ITT discipline, and won silver at the 2008 World Championships in Varese, Italy. She also took out the 2008 women’s Tour de France. Soeder was also German national champion in 1500m and 5000m running. She studied medicine during her athletic career and after her retirement from active sport, worked as a doctor. She currently works in sport medicine, assisting athletes in the optimisation of their training programs. However, cycling is never far away from her mind, as she rides her bike almost daily, albeit these days she prefers a mountain bike while cycling in and around Vienna.
Rides of the week
Tour de Zwift: The big tour to explore it all
It’s a new year and a brand new chance to ride, run, and explore as the global community tours the amazing worlds of Zwift. With multiple routes for each stage, this year’s Tour de Zwift is serving up multiple chances to ride more miles, unblock more badges and collect more Tour swag. So get ready to take off on a tour to explore the best and newest maps Zwift has to offer. More information here!
From our online shop
Be Part of the Journey Mountain Hoodie – £45
Since the launch of Voxwomen, we have always used the message, “Be Part of the Journey.” Women’s cycling has been on a journey and the development of the sport continues. This mountain design links with this message and looks great on this relaxed hoodie. Wear before or after an event, and it will be sure to keep you warm. Get yours here!
