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Marta Cavalli will be joining dsm-firmenich PostNL through 2027. In 2022, the Italian won Amstel Gold Race and La Flèche Wallonne and in 2023, she took out the Tour Féminin International des Pyrénées and the Tour Cycliste Féminin International de l’Ardèche. This season, she unfortunately suffered a pre-season hip injury and later was hit by a car while training in July, which ended her season prematurely. She states: “I really enjoyed my time at FDJ-Suez but after four years I wanted a change and a chance to meet new people and experience new things. That gives me a lot of motivation to continue to make steps and I think there are opportunities to do that with Team dsm-firmenich PostNL.”
Olympic champion Grace Brown, who has retired from active sport, has returned home to Australia but will stay connected to cycling. In addition to taking on the role of the president of The Cyclists’ Alliance, she has also become an ambassador for the Cadel Evans Road Race, an event that has a special place in her heart.
The Cyclists Alliance has announced the appointment of Christine O’Connell as Vice-President and Helen Woods as Treasurer. O’Connell joins TCA with a wealth of expertise in strategy and corporate development, alongside significant non-executive experience across a diverse range of sectors. As Vice-President, she will collaborate closely with the President and TCA staff to provide strategic direction and support the execution of the organisation’s vision and goals. Woods, a passionate advocate for gender equity in sports, brings her extensive financial expertise to the role of Treasurer. With a strong background in the bike insurance industry, she has extensive skills in financial management and budgeting. Her contributions will be instrumental as TCA continues to grow, driving its mission to create a fair, safe, and inclusive cycling environment for all professional female athletes.
The investigation into the tragic death of Swiss rider Muriel Furrer at the Zurich World Championships is ongoing, yet as of now, no criminal proceedings have been initiated. Both local police and prosecutors are working to establish a timeline and determine the cause of her crash.
At 41 years old, Spanish rider Mavi García will become the oldest pro rider in the women’s peloton in 2025. A nine-time national champion, García remains one of Spain’s top female professional riders and continues to push the boundaries of her performance with Team Liv-AlUla-Jayco. She feels there is still room for growth, and as long as she continues to make progress, retirement is not on her mind. She states: “The end of my career is coming, but I don’t want to set a date for it—it’s not certain, especially since I’m still performing so well.. I still enjoy riding my bike; I don’t do it just to see my name in the race program or for the money. Training every day still motivates me.”
18 year old Cat Ferguson, one of the most promising young riders in the peloton and the 2024 Junior World Champion in both the Individual Time Trial and Road Race, has set ambitious plans with her new team. The British rider, alongside Movistar Team, is prioritising her long-term development within the WorldTour, as opposed to chasing immediate success. With a focus on steady progression, Ferguson and her team are committed to nurturing her potential and ensuring she thrives in the professional ranks for years to come.
UCI Sports Director Peter Van den Abeele has indicated that the UCI is considering the inclusion of points from other cycling disciplines in the team classification that determines WorldTour licenses. If implemented, this change would allow teams to accumulate points not only from road racing but also from track cycling, mountain biking, BMX, and gravel events, broadening the scope for teams to secure their WorldTour status. He stated: “We want to offer added value to teams if they let riders compete in other disciplines. The earliest this may happen will be in 2026 when the new cycle starts.”
The UCI has announced that the first round of the 2025 UCI Track Nations Cup will take place in Konya, Turkey, from 14 to 16 March 2025. It will be the first time that the Turkish Cycling Federation works closely with the UCI to deliver a track cycling event at this level. The dates and venues of the subsequent rounds of the 2025 UCI Track Nations Cup will be announced in due course.
The UCI Yellow Card Protocol, which was initially trialled at the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, will come into effect in January 2025. Under the new system, riders who receive two yellow cards in a single race will be disqualified from that race and suspended for seven days. Accumulating three yellow cards within a 30-day period will result in a 14-day suspension, starting the day after the third card is issued. If a rider collects six yellow cards within a year, they will face a 30-day suspension, beginning the day after the sixth card is issued. This protocol aims to improve rider conduct and safety by imposing clearer consequences for repeat offenses.
World Champion Fem van Empel has headlined the Cyclocross World Cup opener in Antwerp last Sunday, but several top cyclocross riders have skipped World Cup races. Many teams have prioritised closer races in Belgium, citing high costs and the logistical challenges of travelling to more distant events, such as those in the USA or Spain. To address this issue, the UCI has revised the World Cup calendar for the current season, shortening it and pushing back the start date in the hopes of attracting more of the sport’s top riders. Additionally, in an effort to ensure more consistent participation, certain World Cup rounds will now be designated as “protected events.” This new status is intended to promote more balanced participation across the UCI Cyclocross International Calendar and encourage greater involvement from riders across different regions, helping the discipline to expand its global reach.
There are still several barriers within professional cycling that limit the sport’s potential for growth and inclusivity. In 2022, Ayesha McGowan made history as the first African American woman to compete in the WorldTour, racing for two seasons with the Dutch Liv Racing-TeqFind squad. She believes that cycling could greatly benefit from greater diversity, and argues that for the WorldTour to be truly representative, the sport must first diversify at the grassroots level. Developing pathways for riders from all backgrounds to reach the highest levels is crucial, and that’s exactly what teams like Canyon-SRAM Generation, for example, are working to create. One hurdle experienced by aspiring riders is securing visas and overcoming the bureaucratic challenges that can prevent them from coming to Europe to race. Immigration systems can often stand in the way of riders pursuing opportunities to compete at the top level, and by addressing these systemic barriers, cycling could unlock a much more diverse and globally representative future.
Results
Exact Cross Kotrijk – Urban Cross: Fem van Empel (Visma – Lease a Bike) ahead of Marion Nobert Riberolle (Crelan – Corendon) and Inge van der Heijden (Crelan – Corendon)
Coupe de France Cyclocross Troyes
Elite: Anais Morichon ahead of Amandine Muller (AS Bike Racing) and Amandine Vidon (Ardennes Cross Team Gecibat)
Junior: Lison Desprez ahead of Zelle Lambert and Jeanne Duterne
HSF System Cup Mlada Boleslav: Kristyna Zemanova (Brilova Racing Team) ahead of Barbora Bukovska and Lucie Grohova
Vuelta Femenina al Ecuador
Stage 1: Elizabeth Castano ahead of Paula Andrea Carrasco and Natalia Vasquez Amaya
Stage 2: Esther Galarza Munoz ahead of Maria Elizabeth Bravo and Paula Andrea Carrasco
Voxwomen Cycling Hub
Exciting news! Voxwomen has just launched the Voxwomen Cycling Hub, a paid membership packed with exclusive content, behind-the-scenes access, discounts, and more. By joining, you’re not only unlocking premium perks, but also directly supporting the growth of women’s cycling. Don’t miss out on this chance to dive deeper into the sport you love and be part of a community that’s driving real change. Sign up today and help us elevate women’s cycling together!
Blog
Sarah Gigante reflects on her 2024 season, from notching up 29,000km on the bike to conquering the Tour Down Under on Willunga Hill. Find out her fastest race, biggest season surprise, favourite off-bike moments and Duolingo streak! Check out her latest blog right here.
The Women’s Cycling Podcast
Becca Charlton is joined by Hannah Walker, pro rider turned commentator, to discuss her career progression & share some emotional stories. We also talk with ultra-endurance racer Lael Wilcox & Sara Felton about her inspirational Tour de France feat. Listen to it here on Spotify.
Voxwomen Club
Calling all cycling enthusiasts! Join the Voxwomen Club for some exciting upcoming rides. The next one is coming up soon, so find out more here
This week in cycling history
Sue Novarra-Reber
Sprint cycling champion Sue Novarra-Reber was born in Flint, Michigan, on 22 November 1955. Initially a speed skater, she switched to cycling and in 1975, at the age of 19, she became the youngest woman to ever win the world sprint championship, a feat she later repeated in 1980. As the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic women’s cycling program did not include the sprint, the seven-time national track champion switched to road racing, so that she could compete in the Olympic Games. In 1982, she became national champion in the road race but was not able to continue on from her successful track career. Two years later, she retired and was subsequently hired by the U.S. Cycling Federation to prepare the women’s track team for the 1987 World Championships, which under her direction, won four medals, including gold. She then took on studies at the University of Michigan, and these days she works as a real estate agent in her hometown of Flint, Michigan.
WorldTour highlight videos
Catch up on the action from the Tour of Guangxi right here.
