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After 18 years as a professional rider, Lizzie Deignan kicked off her final season at last week’s UAE Tour. The British rider is determined to make her farewell year both enjoyable and successful, embracing the roles of mentor and domestique within her team. While she admitted to feeling somewhat emotional about closing this chapter, Deignan expressed contentment with her decision to retire at the end of the season.
EF Education-Oatly’s Alison Jackson suffered a crash on the first stage of the UAE Tour. She sustained a broken scaphoid but fortunately did not require surgery. Letizia Paternoster also had to leave the race, suffering from several abrasions as a result of a fall. Test results thankfully cleared her of any serious injuries.
Cyclocross star Ceylin Alvarado was forced to end her season early. Due to ongoing fatigue and a recent infection, the Dutch rider will have to take time to rest and recuperate.
Georgia Baker of Liv Alula Jayco faced a challenging setback last year when a season-ending crash resulted in a concussion, cutting her season short, just after she had competed in the Olympics. The event left her grappling with vision problems, nausea, and a general feeling of sickness for an extended period. Once cleared to resume training, Baker became more cautious and vigilant, particularly when it came to traffic and her surroundings. However, she noted that the heightened awareness she maintained during training often fades when she is in the heat of racing. Despite the difficulties she faced, Baker made an impressive return to competition. She finished second at the Schwalbe Women’s One Day Classic in Adelaide, South Australia, and followed that up with a third-place finish at the Surf Coast Classic in Geelong, Victoria.
In the women’s peloton, minimum wages are more commonly enforced than in the men’s. Introduced in 2020, the minimum salary was initially set at €15,000. However, it has since increased significantly. As of now, Women’s WorldTour riders must earn at least €62,320 if they are self-employed, and €38,000 if they are under contract. For neo-pros, these figures are slightly lower, with self-employed riders earning a minimum of €52,000 and contracted riders €31,768. The median budget for the 15 Women’s WorldTour teams stands at €3.6 million. Most riders in the women’s peloton earn between €80,000 and €100,000 annually. Key domestiques and race winners tend to earn between €150,000 and €250,000, while top-10 riders can take home anywhere from €300,000 to €500,000. The sport’s biggest champions, however, can earn upwards of €850,000. This shift in wage structure reflects growing investment in women’s cycling, though significant gaps remain when compared to the men’s side of the sport.
Manon Bakker and Jinse Peeters were disqualified after an incident during the Exact Cross C2 event at Parkcross in Maldegem. The incident occurred moments before their disqualifications, as the two riders clashed shoulder-to-shoulder in a tricky, slippery section of corners. During the exchange, both athletes slapped each other’s hands while attempting to avoid crashing. The incident was captured on the live broadcast of the Exact Cross event. Race officials reviewed the footage and determined that both riders should be penalised, leading to their disqualifications.
The route of the 5th edition of Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift on 12 April has been published. The course is the same as last year, at 148.5 km length including 29.2 km of cobbled roads spread over 17 sectors corresponding with the finale of the men’s edition of the race.
Stage 2 of the 2025 UAE Tour set a new record, with an average speed of 48.407 km/h over the 111km course, which featured flat, wide desert roads and fierce crosswinds. Lorena Wiebes claimed the win, which came as no surprise, given her sprinting prowess. However, it was the exceptional speed of the front group that truly stood out. The leading five riders, including Wiebes, Elisa Longo Borghini and teammates Lara Gillespie and Karlijn Swinkels, along with Lily Williams, formed a powerful echelon within the first few kilometres and maintained their gap over the peloton for the entire stage.
The Bretagne Ladies Tour, scheduled for 28 May to 1 June 1, has been cancelled due to a funding shortfall. Organisers reported a gap of €37,000, which was necessary to ensure the smooth running of the event. Despite the cancellation, the organisers remain hopeful and are aiming to bring the race back in 2026.
More than 60 athletes took part in the second edition of the. UCI Snow Bike World Championships, held on Saturday 8 February in Châtel, in the French department of Haute Savoie. 14 women out of 63 participants attended, which was double the number from last year. In terms of nations, France entered the largest contingent followed by Switzerland and Great Britain.
Axelle Dubau-Prévôt, the younger sister of cycling star Pauline Ferrand-Prévôt, is set to compete in the 2025 Life Time Grand Prix, including events such as Unbound Gravel and Leadville. The 28-year-old French rider will make her debut in the series in April. Having been on a bike since childhood, Dubau-Prévôt has achieved strong results that earned her a place in the prestigious Grand Prix. After racing on the road from 2016 to 2018 and briefly exploring ultra-distance trail running, she discovered gravel racing just as it was gaining momentum. Her older sister has been a key influence, offering advice on fundamentals like nutrition and aerodynamics and encouraging her to work with a coach, a decision that has made a significant impact on her progress.
Following dangerous incidents involving vehicles at the men’s race Etoile de Besseges, the CPA, through its SafeR initiative, has announced plans to introduce a new program aimed at encouraging top race organisers to share their expertise with smaller event organisers. Currently, four major race organisers – RCS, Unipublic, ASO, and Flanders Classics – are part of SafeR. The initiative believes that smaller race organisers need guidance and support to ensure their events meet the necessary safety and operational standards. The president of the CPA emphasised, “there should be no difference in the organisation of a race – only in the route and format.”
The USA Cycling Foundation, the non-profit fundraising arm of USA Cycling, has reached its goal of raising USD 50,000 for year-round support for cyclocross athlete development and competition. The focus of the MudFund is to cultivate grassroots efforts and developing a pathway to elite level competition.
The calendar for 2025-2026 UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup has been revealed, starting on 25 November in Tabor and finishing on 25 January in Hoogerheide. The new season will also include an event scheduled on 7 December in Cabras on Sardinia, a race that last season had to be cancelled due to bad weather. The races in Bensacon and Dublin will not return.
In 2025, British Cycling will highlight the invaluable contributions the volunteers make across all areas of cycling. Last week, the organisation featured Laura Baskeyfield in an article that showcased her dedication and versatility as a volunteer. Laura has taken on multiple roles within her cycling club, including serving as an experienced ride leader, demonstrating her commitment to fostering the cycling community and motivating women to get on bikes.
Results
Parkcross Maldegem: Marie Schreiber ahead of Inge van der Heijden and Sara Casasola
SP Middelkerke CX: Inge van der Heijden ahead of Lucinda Brand and Sara Casasola
New Zealand Elite TT: Kim Cadzow ahead of Ella Wyllie and Henrietta Christie
New Zealand Road Race: Kim Cadzow ahead of Niamh Fisher-Black and Kate McCarthy
Vuelta CV Feminas: Linda Zanetti (Uno-X Mobility) ahead of Jelena Eric (Movistar Team) and Daria Pikulik (Human Powered Health)
UAE Tour Stage 1: Lorena Wiebes (Team SD Worx-Protime ahead of Charlotte Kool (Team Picnic PostNL and Nienke Veenhoven (Team Visma | Lease a Bike)
UAE Tour Stage 2: Lorena Wiebes ahead of Lily Williams (Human Powered Health) and Lara Gillespie (UAE Team ADQ)
UAE Tour Stage 3: Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) ahead of Silvia Persico (UAE Team ADQ) and Kim Le Court Pienaar (AG Insurance-Soudal)
Voxwomen Cycling Hub
Voxwomen has 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
Why isn’t pro cycling leading the charge on sustainability? From excessive travel to wasteful practices, Lizzie Stannard’s blog explores how women’s cycling can embrace climate action and make meaningful changes for a greener future. Read her ideas right here.
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
Leah Goldstein
Goldstein turned 56 on 4 February. Growing up in Vancouver as the child of immigrants, she is an inspiring figure, known for her diverse athletic career and incredible perseverance. Goldstein began her athletic journey with a focus on cycling and duathlon, but her talents and drive extended beyond that, as she also achieved significant success in kickboxing, winning the World Championships. Early on, she faced challenges, including a speech impediment, which she struggled with throughout her youth. Despite this, Goldstein’s determination never wavered, and she used her experiences with overcoming obstacles to fuel her athletic pursuits. Goldstein’s most notable achievement came in 2018 when the then 52-year-old became the first woman to win the overall title at the gruelling Race Across America (RAAM), an endurance race that covers 3,000 miles across the United States. Goldstein’s victory was an extraordinary feat, as she completed the 3,000-mile race in just 12 days, 11 hours, and 6 minutes.
