The moving of the deckchairs in women’s pro cycling

It’s that time of year when professional cyclists announce their team transfers for the following year. We can all read plenty about the high profile male riders but there’s not so much written about the women. So here’s a list of some of the higher profile Australian female pro road cyclists and their plans for 2015. Please note that this is not a complete list of every Australian female rider who is registered as a professional, so please don’t been offended if you’re not on my list.

Tiffany Cromwell

Tiffany just won the Australian female road cyclist of the year award for 2014 and came fifth in the World Champs road race. She will stick with the same team next year but it’s undergone a makeover and will re-emerge as Velocio-SRAM. For the past three years it’s been known as Specialized-lululemon.

Nettie Edmondson

Nettie is making a shift in 2015 and is joining the Wiggle Honda team which is owned and run by fellow Aussie cyclist Rochelle Gilmore.

Gracie Elvin

Gracie Elvin is staying with the Orica-AIS team and will no doubt be out to defend her National Road title in January.

Chloe Hosking

Chloe Hosking is also on the move and will join Wiggle Honda in 2015. Chloe says of the move “For me, at this point in my career, the most important thing was being in a team environment that was professional and organised, and had some of the best equipment and support in the peloton. I know that Wiggle Honda can offer me all this and more.”

Rochelle Gilmore

Rochelle is the owner and manager of Wiggle Honda and her own riding seems to have taken a backseat. She said of retirement in an interview earlier this year “When it comes, I’ll be retiring by a natural progression, because I’m becoming too busy to be a professional cyclist.”

Rachel Neylan

Rachel raced the 2014 season in Europe with the Australian national team. I’m not sure of her plans in 2015.

Melissa Hoskins

Melissa will remain with Orica-AIS in 2015. She’s a track cyclist as well as road, so I suspect she’ll begin turning her focus to the track ahead of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

Shara Gillow

Shara Gillow is transferring from Orica-AIS to the Dutch team Rabo-Liv in 2015. She’ll race alongside the multiple world champion Marianne Vos and the current World Champion Pauline Ferrand-Prevot.

Lauren Kitchen

Lauren will stay with Norway’s Hitec Products team in 2015 .

Loren Rowney

Loren will remain with her current team which will be known as Velocio-SRAM in 2015.

Amanda Spratt

Amanda remains with Orica-AIS in 2015.

Carlee Taylor

Carlee Taylor is leaving Orica-AIS to join Lotto Belisol Ladies, where she’ll join fellow Aussie Amy Cure.

 

If I’ve left you off the list, please accept my apology and let me know via the comments what your plans are for 2015.