Your news
Get your week started with the latest news in women’s cycling
Belgian cyclocross rider Sanne Cant has officially retired. The Belgian amassed three world titles, three European titles and 15 national titles during her illustrious career. We wish her all the best in her next steps!
Marta Cavalli has experienced both the highs and lows of a cycling career and recently opened up about her struggles and hopes for the future. At the height of her career in the summer of 2022, a crash during the inaugural Tour de France Femmes left her with multiple fractures. Then, two training crashes in 2024 limited her to just five race days last season. These setbacks deeply affected the Italian rider. However, this season, Cavalli has adopted a fresh outlook, redefining her goals and what she hopes to achieve. Having made the decision to leave FDJ-SUEZ for Picnic PostNL, she still views winning as important, but no longer the sole measure of success.
Last year was a challenging one for Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig. Although she kicked off her season with a stage win at the Tour Down Under in Australia, her return to Europe for Omloop Het Nieuwsblad during Opening Weekend saw her involved in a crash that fractured her sacrum, sidelining her for over three months and causing her to miss the entire spring Classics. Even after her return to the peloton, she struggled to regain her best form. However, she’s now entering a new chapter of her career with CANYON//SRAM Zondacrypto, bringing with it a fresh mindset and renewed motivation.
Shirin van Anroij of Lidl-Trek underwent surgery in late October to address a narrowed iliac artery, which had been affecting her performance for over a year and a half. “The surgery gave me a lot of confidence,” she said. “I also worked with a sports psychologist to accept that it wasn’t my fault. My body let me down despite doing everything right in training and nutrition. Now, I’m focused on regaining trust in my body, and my motivation is huge. I can’t wait to get back in the peloton.” Van Anroij is unsure if she’ll race the Tour or the Giro, with her schedule not yet confirmed except for the Spanish block. The plan is for her to return in mid-May, starting with the Navarra Classic, Itzulia, and Vuelta a Burgos but she is hoping to be able to race some classics in late April.
Anna van der Breggen of SD Worx – Protime has announced the next phase of her race program. She continued her season at Omloop Hageland last weekend and will then line up at Strade Bianche, which she last won in 2018. Following that, the Dutch rider takes to Trofeo Binda and then Brabantse Pijl. We will then see her return to Amstel Gold, Flèche Wallonne and Liege Bastogne Liege. Van der Breggen was nicknamed the Queen of Huy after winning Flèche Wallonne seven times between 2015 and 2021, so it will be exciting to see her return to the Mur this season. She also won Amstel Gold in 2017 and Liege Bastogne Liege in 2017 and 2018.
Puck Pieterse kicked off her road season last weekend at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, as the 22-year-old prepares for her most ambitious Classics campaign to date in 2025. Ahead of racing, she did a recon ride of cobbled sectors of Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift. She also surveyed important sections of Dwars Door Vlaanderen, another important race on her packed schedule for the coming months. The Dutch rider will also race Strade Bianche, Trofeo Oro in Euro, Binda, and Milan-San Remo, so she will have plenty of racing under her belt by the time Flanders and Roubaix come around.
World Champion Anna Morris broke her own world record at the British National Track Championships, clocking 4:24.060 over 4,000m. The moment marked the third time Morris has bettered the benchmark in a week. With a lot of riders chasing the record, she is confident it will keep coming down this year. Compatriot and double Olympic champion Katie Archibald won her first national track title in six years. She beat Danielle Watkinson and Cat Ferguson to the silver and bronze medal respectively in the points race.
Heidi Franz was struck by a race motorcycle during the Clasica de Almeira while attempting to avoid a crash, resulting in a concussion and whiplash. After the incident, she made the difficult decision to abandon the race. Since then, Franz has been gradually recovering and is now cautiously retuning to training. She remains hopeful to be ready for the start of the Vuelta a Extremadura. She wrote about the incident in an Instagram post here.
Visma | Lease a Bike has revealed initial details on its top riders’ rosters. Marianne Vos will start her road season with Trofeo Alfredo Binda, then Milan-Sanremo, the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. The Dutch star has almost fully recovered from her calf injury. After the UAE Tour, teammate Pauline Ferrand-Prevot will now focus on her next race, Strade Bianche. The aim is also a top-5 in the Tour and the Vuelta. Fem van Empel will take on Strade Bianchi next on 8 March.
As of 1 July 2025, Rabobank will officially become a partner of Team Visma | Lease a Bike. This collaboration marks the return of Rabobank to the world of cycling, driven by a shared vision of talent development, sports participation, and a healthy society. The partnership will begin with the Tour de France and will run for at least 3.5 years. A key element of this collaboration is the joint effort to nurture new Dutch cycling talent. Rabobank will become a strategic partner of their Ready2Race program, which introduces young children to cycling in an accessible way. In addition to partnering with Team Visma | Lease a Bike, Rabobank will also become a partner of TeamNL.
The Vuelta Femenina has announced the participating teams at this year’s race. Besides the WWT squads, wildcards include Arkea B&B Hotels, Cofidis, and EF Education-Oatly.
Top teams are increasingly hiring riders as young as 18 for development, but not all of these new signees are ready for the demands of WorldTour racing. Racing in the WorldTour is grueling, demanding both mental and physical endurance. However, it raises the question: do younger riders have the durability needed for this level? Many experts agree that a dedicated U23 level of racing is necessary as a stepping stone between juniors and the pros.
Leeds is expected to host the Tour de France Femnes avec Zwift Grand Depart in 2027. This is the first time that the women’s peloton will start in Britain. It is expected that the official announcement will be made sometime this month. Only two of the first three editions of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift have started in France, with last year’s eight-day race taking off from The Netherlands. All nine stages of this year’s Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, from 26 July to 3 August, will unfold through French roads and cities, with a start in Brittany.
The Dutch National Championships for 2025 will proceed as planned on 28 June. After Surhuisterveen in Friesland secured the time trial, Ede in Gelderland will now host the road race championships. The race will feature a closed-loop course of 41km, with the women’s event covering a total of 123km. This new arrangement eliminates the need for police deployment in Ede, an issue that has arisen due to the presence of a NATO security meeting in the Netherlands and hence the shortage of police escorts for the race.
The UCI has announced that the 2025 UCI Gravel World Championships, originally scheduled for 18 October in Nice, France, will no longer take place as planned. Both the UCI and the City of Nice recognised the challenges involved in organising the event in the French Riviera city on that specific date. Due to various logistical, technical, and calendar-related constraints, it was mutually agreed not to hold the fourth edition of the race there. The UCI is currently exploring alternative options for a new organiser and venue, with further details, including the event’s new date, to be announced as soon as possible.
After 18 months of deliberation and planning, Cycling Ireland has introduced a raft of changes for domestic racing. Concerned with the decrease of racing opportunities and the fall in the number of racing license holders, the organisation will offer more races as a key part of the new plan.
The World Championships in Rwanda have once again been the topic of debate this week. The European Parliament has called for the cancellation of the 2025 event in Kigali due to Rwanda’s involvement in the Kivu conflict in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo. UCI President David Lappartient recently visited the country to meet with the Rwandan president, but the fate of the World Championships remains uncertain. According to the UCI president, there is no Plan B or the intention of moving the event to Switzerland. He remains confident that the World Championships will be held successfully, emphasising that Rwanda is a well-organised and safe country. Regarding women’s cycling, Lappartient noted the immense growth in women’s cycling, and that diversity is improving more and more in this sport. He urges to keep pushing to bring about more involvement of riders from non-European countries. However, even if the event goes ahead, not all nations will be able to afford the high costs of the trip and the prices of the hotels that have risen out of all proportion. Total costs may creep up to almost 550,000 Euros per delegation. Given these costs, there is a serious risk of leaving some countries out of the competition.
Results
Clasica de Almeria: Ally Wollaston (FDJ-SUEZ) ahead of Linda Zanetti (Uno-X Mobility) and Dominka Wlodarczyk (UAE Team ADQ)
Omloop Nieuwsblad: Lotte Claes (Arkea B&B Hotels) ahead of Aurela Nerlo (Winspace Orange Seal) and Demi Vollering (FDJ-SUEZ)
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
Ethel Brambleby
Brambleby passed away on 22 February 2011 at the age of 93. The English rider was a pioneering figure in women’s cycling, known for her impressive achievements and lasting contributions to the sport. She rose to prominence as one of the leading riders of her time, competing successfully in both domestic and international races. She began racing in 1933, with her final appearance in 2000, spanning nearly seven decades of involvement in the sport.
During her early career, Brambleby had to contend with the prejudices against women racing competitively, particularly in the 1930s. Her time trial career, which became her strongest discipline, initially saw her competing in men’s events. However, the Road Racing Council swiftly intervened, banning women from racing in men’s events and mandating that they only compete against other women. Despite these challenges, Ethel thrived, setting multiple records and becoming an important voice in the fight for women’s cycling.
Beyond her personal success as a competitive cyclist, Brambleby was a committed advocate for the sport. She organised events, including national championships, held key committee positions, and wrote for various cycling publications. In 1934, she was present at the inaugural Women’s Road Record Association, which was founded in response to the Road Records Association’s refusal to recognise women’s records. Although fame and fortune may have eluded her, she remained a lifelong campaigner for women’s participation in cycling, leaving behind a powerful legacy of advocacy and achievement.
