Building On Strong Foundations: Mitchelton-SCOTT women looking for more results in more races
Mitchelton-SCOTT will boast its most international roster since the team’s inception in 2020, as they look to build on consistent results and dominant performances, with the exciting and motivating addition of the world championship rainbow jersey.
Building on strong foundations:
Mitchelton-SCOTT women achieved 18 UCI victories from six different riders during the 2019 season, including back-to-back championship titles at the only Grand Tour of the season, the Giro-Rosa, and a hat-trick of wins at the team’s home race, the Santos Tour Down Under.
The squad’s foundations have strengthened significantly over the previous few seasons as they turned their attention to general classification success, and of the ten riders from the 2019 roster, nine continue into 2020 with the Australian outfit.
As one of the eight registered UCI Women’s WorldTour teams for 2020, Mitchelton-SCOTT head into their ninth racing season with a fortified group, thanks to the addition of two new international riders, 33-year-old Dutch rider Janneke Ensing and 20-year-old Briton Jessica Roberts.
“With these two new riders we will have even more opportunities to play the game in the races,” sport director Martin Vestby acknowledged. “We are generally making the team stronger in all areas and now we will have all types of riders with different strengths, so we can be active and aggressive in a lot more scenarios of racing.”
The 2020 team increases from 10 to 11 riders and is will be made up of six Australian’s and five international riders.
“I think we have a really good team in general for 2020 and the team remains much the same which I think is important,” Martin added. “Having a slightly bigger roster will help us balance out the racing schedule and allow riders to come in fresher for races and then be able perform at a higher level throughout the whole year.”
Young talent:
Welcoming fresh talent is an exciting prospect for the squad and will be an important factor in balancing the team, which is made up of many mature experienced riders, heading into what will be an important and memorable year of racing, thanks to the addition of Annemiek van Vleuten’s rainbow jersey.
“It is very exciting getting a younger rider in with Jess Roberts and I think it is good for the balance and atmosphere in the team and it is good for us as a strong and established WorldTour team to support some young talent,” Martin continued. “It’s also really beneficial to keep healthy competition within the group and helps riders continue to step up to another level.”
“After the great season we had this year, it is exciting to think what we can achieve next year.”
Mitchelton-SCOTT women officially begin their 2020 racing season at the Santos Women’s Tour Down Under from the 16th -19th January. A couple of riders will pin a number on slightly earlier at the Lexus of Blackburn Bay Crits starting on 3rd January.
Mitchelton-SCOTT Women for 2020:
• Jessica Allen – (AUS 26)
• Grace Brown – (AUS, 27)
• Gracie Elvin – (AUS, 31)
• Janneke Ensing – (NED, 33) – New signing
• Lucy Kennedy – (AUS, 31)
• Jessica Roberts – (GBR, 20) – New signing
• Sarah Roy – (AUS, 33)
• Amanda Spratt – (AUS, 32)
• Moniek Tenniglo – (NED, 31)
• Annemiek van Vleuten – (NED, 37)
• Georgia Williams – (NZL, 26)
Mitchelton-SCOTT Women Stats:
• No. of riders: 11
• No. of Australians: 6
• No. of internationals: 5 (3x NED, 1x GBR 1x NZL)
• Youngest rider: Jessica Roberts – (20)
• Oldest rider: Annemiek van Vleuten – (37)
• Average age: 29.7
Photo courtesy of Kristof Ramon
* Due to an alleged infringement to the Anti-Doping Policy and Code of Conduct of the Team and pending results from an ongoing investigation, Sofie De Vuyst’s contract has been suspended and her name removed from UCI registration.