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Get your week started with the latest news in women’s cycling
Multi-talented Dutch rider Lauren Molengraaf has signed with FDJ-Suez as well as Circus-ReUz-Technord, where she will ride CX and MTB with Lapierre Mavic Unity. This tripartite collaboration between the three teams aims to provide the best possible environment for the young rider.
Katrine Aalerud will join Uno-X Pro Cycling until the end of 2025. The Norwegian rider has been with Movistar Team for the last three seasons.
New Zealand rider Kim Cadzow, currently wrapping up her first season in the professional peloton with Jumbo-Visma Women, will join EF Education-Cannondale in 2024. Having previously taken up triathlon but suffering from several running injuries, she switched over to bike racing and enjoys mountainous terrain.
17-year-old Cat Ferguson from North Yorkshire will become a trainee with Movistar Team in August 2024 and then turn WorldTour pro for the following two years with the Spanish squad. She is talented on all types of terrain, as well as a proven CX specialist, and has even achieved some good results on the track. She won the junior Tour of Flanders, the junior British time trial title, and a silver medal in the junior road race at the World Championships in Glasgow.
USA Cycling has announced its team for the 2023 Gravel World Championships. The event’s second edition is scheduled for 7-8 October in Veneto in Italy, and will include Lauren Stephens, Heidi Franz and Emily Newsom.
After retiring from the WorldTour in 2021, Ruth Winder is planning to return to the sport. The 30-year-old turned pro in 2014 with United Healthcare and retired from the women’s WorldTour with Trek-Segafredo at the end of 2021, after which she did some gravel racing in the USA.
Flanders Classics has released a campaign creating “Equal Pain Day” on International Equal Pay Day to recognise the work needed to be done to close the gap between women’s and men’s cycling. The organisers stated that because cyclists are in the suffering business, no matter if male or female, they train hard, they race hard, they embrace the hurt. So equal pain = equal pay.
From 2025, the Amstel Gold Race will be under new management. Flanders Classics will assume the role of race organisation and direction. Leontien van Moorsel’s role will remain unchanged, she will continue to be the director for the women’s edition of the Amstel Gold Race
The UCI has published the 2024 UCI International calendars including different series, categories and classes of events. The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift and the Vuelta Femenina are to be held over 7 days, while the Giro Donne will be raced over 8 days. The Women’s Tour returns with 6 days and there are new Spanish races including Challenge Mallorca from 20 to 22 January added to the calendar. More details can be found here.
The details of the race routes for the second edition of the UCI Gravel World Championships taking place on 7-8 October in Veneto, Italy, have been revealed. All races will start at Lago Le Bandie in Treviso and conclude in Pieve di Soligo, situated 23km further north.
The Cyclists’ Alliance (TCA) today published the full report from their annual survey of the women’s pro peloton. Results show that 25% of riders surveyed receive no salary or income. Outside the Women’s World Tour, more than 70% of riders earn less than €10,000 a year. Nearly half of riders surveyed have a contract which is only one year long and only 46% rely on cycling as their sole source of income. More findings can be found here.
Results
European Road Championships
Junior ITT: Federica Venturelli (ITA) ahead of Stina Kagevi (SWE) and Hannah Kunz (GER)
U23 ITT: Zoe Backstedt (GBR) ahead of Antonia Niedermaier (GER) and Anniina Ahtosalo (FIN)
Elite ITT: Marlen Reusser (SUI) ahead of Anna Henderson (GBR) and Christina Schweinberger (AUT)
Junior mixed team relay: Italy ahead of Germany and France
Elite mixed team relay: France ahead of Italy and Germany
Elite road: Misha Bredewold (NED) ahead of Lorena Wiebes (NED) and Lotte Kopeckey (BEL)
U23 road: Ilse Pluimers (FRA) ahead of Anna Shakley (GBR) and Linda Zanetti (SUI)
Junior road: Fleur Moors (BEL) ahead of Federica Venturelli (ITA) and Leane Tabu (FRA)
Zwift Blog
In her latest exclusive blog, Abi Smith of EF – TIBCO-SVB talks all about racing in the heat and provide some tips to ride in hot weather. Check it out here!
This week in cycling history
Karen Brems Kurreck
29 years ago, Kurreck, who was then 32 years old, won the first ever women’s time trial world championship title in Catania, Italy. The former gymnast and triathlete had only taken up cycling three years earlier. The U.S. rider also participated at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, but then concentrated on cyclo-cross before retiring from the sport.
Anna Mears
Born on 21 September 1983, the Australian is a former Commonwealth and Olympic gold medallst as well as track cycling World Champion, making her one of the most decorated track riders of all time. She retired from the sport in 2016 and now is on speaker circuits and also does TV commentary.
Victoria Pendleton
Born on 24 September 1980, the British former track cyclist is one of her country’s most successful track cyclists, with two Olympic gold medals, one silver and nine world titles. As a youngster, she was encouraged to cycle by her father, a national grass-track cycling champion, but did not become a full-time rider until after graduating from university. After retiring from track cycling, she tried her hand at becoming a jockey and made appearances on several TV shows. In 2018 she was diagnosed with depression and was open with her health struggles, hoping to bring attention to this illness. She sought help and credits her love of surfing and horses with improving her health and is now a patron of the Wave Project, a charity which utilises surfing as a form of therapy.
Zwift Rides of the week
Voxwomen Zwift Rides
Join, ride, share, and be inspired! Join others and celebrate women’s cycling through a women’s cycling fan club on Zwift. Be part of the journey and complete rides that cater to our busy lives, and find motivation and enjoyment through riding!
The rides are open to everyone and there are two rides every other Thursday. The times of the ride are 7am and 7pm GMT (8am and 8pm CET) and are 40min in duration with special guests leading the rides! The pace will be set to open, but “rubberbanding” will be turned on which keeps everyone together regardless of how hard they are pedaling – so it is a no-drop ride as long as you keep pedaling. On the ride days, one ride will be a standard group ride, while the second ride will be Zwift’s Aerobic Conditioning Workout. Find inspiration from each other and have fun challenging yourself! We hope you join us in the virtual world of cycling!
Take advantage of the club chat and be a part of the women’s cycling community also – there will be some giveaways from time to time, so be on the lookout!
From our Online Store
Women’s hoodie
This organic hoodie features the Voxwomen Club logo with the words “Join, ride, share and be inspired.” Show your support for women’s cycling and support Voxwomen, with this stylish cotton hoodie. Buy yours here!
Men’s hoodie
This certified organic cotton pullover hoodie features the Voxwomen Club logo! Show your support for women’s cycling and support Voxwomen at the same time, with this stylish hoodie. Get yours here!
