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After a three-year hiatus from racing, Anna van der Breggen is making her return to the WorldTour as a rider. Van der Breggen spent the past three years as a directeur sportif, a role she enjoyed immensely, but she now feels ready to return to competitive cycling. In a recent interview, the Dutch champion voiced some concerns about her comeback, acknowledging that it may not be a smooth transition. She wonders how long it will take to regain her peak form and whether that form will be enough to compete at the highest level. Time will tell if she can recapture her top-tier performances, but one thing is certain: the peloton is eagerly awaiting her return.
New Zealand rider Ally Wollaston will join FDJ-SUEZ for the next two years. The Auckland native has already shown the extent of her talent and speed on hilly courses and high-profile sprints, shown by her victory on Stage 1 of the Santos Tour Down Under 2024. In addition, last June, she won two stages of the Volta a Catalunya, and as well as the Grand Prix du Morbihan 2022. She has also shown her talent on the track, winning the silver medal in the team pursuit and the bronze medal in the omnium at the Paris Olympics.
Italian rider Silvia Zanadri has extended her contract with Human Powered Health through 2025. This year, Zanadri proved her versatility by competing across a range of terrains, from Classics to stage races. The team has also announced a new signing: Kathrin Schweinberger, a two-time Austrian national champion, who will join the team through 2026. Schweinberger will serve as the team’s second sprinter, strengthening the lead-out, and playing a crucial role in one-day races.
Puncheur Yurani Blanco of Laboral Kutxa has stepped up to the WorldTour, signing with Human Powered Health through 2026. The Spanish rider is a strong climber and will bolster the team’s stage race squad, while pursuing her aspirations in hilly one-day races.
Femke Markus has extended her contract with Team SD Worx – Protime by two years until the end of 2026. She joined the team in 2023 and in her first year, she was close to taking the victory in Paris-Roubaix, until she crashed in the velodrome. Last spring, she also won the Volta NXT Classic.
Laura Asencio from France and Marjolein van’t Geloof from the Netherlands will join Arkea-B&B Hotels through 2026. WorldTour rider Asencio has been riding with a foreign team for the past six years and is looking forward to making her mark with her home team. Van’t Geloof enjoys the classics, particularly the cobbed races, and hopes to participate in Paris-Roubaix one day.
During the week of 21 – 29 September, riders will fight for the rainbow stripes in the time trial and road race in Zürich, Switzerland. The elite Team USA squad has been announced, and will include Olympic road race champion Kristen Faulkner, TT bronze medallist Chloe Dygert, Ruth Edwards, Emily Ehrlich, Heidi Franz, Lauren Stephens and Amber Neben.
The schedule for the European Cycling Championships in Limburg is as follows: Wednesday 11 September: TT for Junior, U23 and Elite; Thursday 12 September: Junior and Elite Team Time Trial Mixed Relay; Friday 13 September: U23 Road Race; Saturday 14 September: Elite road race; Sunday 15 September: Junior road race.
Results
Tour Cycliste Féminin International de l’Ardèche:
Stage 1: Thalita de Jong (Lotto Dstny Ladies) ahead of Karolina Perekitko (Winspace) and Debora Silvestri (Laboral Kutxa – Fundación Euskadi)
Stage 2: Thalita de Jong ahead of Sarah van Dam (DNA Cycling) and Eline Jansen (VolkerWessels Women’s Pro Cycling Team)
Stage 3: Nina Buijsman (FDJ-SUEZ) ahead of Usoa Ostolaza (Laboral Kutxa – Fundación Euskadi) and Nadia Gontova (DNA Cycling)
Stage 4: Maeve Squiban (Arkea-B&B Hotels) ahead of Dominika Wlodarczyk (UAE Team ADQ) and Nina Buijsman
Stage 5: Fariba Hashimi (WCC Team) ahead of Dominika Wlodarczyk (UAE Development Team) and Thalita De Jong
Tour de Romandie:Â
Stage 1: Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) ahead of Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) and Liane Lippert (Movistar)
Stage 2: Demi Vollering (SD Worx – Protime) ahead of Lotte Kopecky and Gaia Realini (Lidl – Trek)
Zwift Blog
Ever wondered what it’s like to ride a Grand Tour? Franziska Koch takes you behind the scenes at the Giro, sharing the highs, lows and everything in between. From unexpected challenges to unforgettable moments, have a read here!
Voxwomen Club
Calling all cycling enthusiasts! Join the Voxwomen Club on Zwift for some exciting upcoming rides. The next one is coming up soon, so find out more here
This week in cycling history
Nora Young
Born on 8 September 1917, Young was a trailblazing athlete who emerged as one of Canada’s top female road cyclists in the 1930s and 1940s. During an era when women were just beginning to compete in mainstream sports, she distinguished herself as a national champion and record holder. Women’s cycling was not yet included in major international competitions such as the Olympics, Pan American Games, Commonwealth Games, or World Championships. Despite these limitations, Young made her mark by winning the women’s race at the Olympic tryout event in 1936, nearly five decades before women’s cycling became an Olympic sport in 1984. Her passion for cycling persisted well beyond her early years. She continued to compete into her 60s, 70s, and 80s, achieving remarkable success by winning races and setting records at Masters competitions worldwide. In recognition of her outstanding contributions to the sport, the Canadian Cycling Hall of Fame posthumously inducted her in 2018.
Mandy Jones
On 5 September 1982, a team of five women represented Britain at the World Road Race Championships in Goodwood, U.K. Early in the race, the field split, leaving young British rider Mandy Jones to battle it out against top competitors from traditional cycling powerhouses like Belgium, France, and Italy. Jones, known for her strength in time trials, leveraged her skills and experience in this discipline to great effect. Launching a decisive attack on the final lap, she managed to hold off her breakaway rivals by 10 seconds, clinching the gold medal. At just 20 years old, Jones’ talent hinted at a long and successful career ahead. However, a persistent calf injury prevented her from reaching her former peak. Now 61, she still remains connected to the sport, having opened a bike shop in Oldham, and organising the Etape du Dales sportive every May in Yorkshire.
WorldTour highlight videos
Catch up on all the action from the latest WorldTour races! Watch highlights of the Tour de Femmes avec Zwift right here.
