Ceratizit–WNT Pro Cycling
Team information
UCI codeWNT
Registered
  • United Kingdom (2014–2018)
  • Germany (2019–)
Founded2014 (2014)
Discipline(s)
StatusUK National (2014–2016)
UCI Women's Team (2017–2019)
UCI Women's Continental Team (2020–present)
BicyclesOrbea
WebsiteTeam home page
Key personnel
General managerClaude Sun
Team manager(s)Dirk Baldinger
Carmen Small
Team name history
2014–2016
2017
2018–2019
2020–
Team WNT
Team WNT Pro Cycling
WNT–Rotor Pro Cycling
Ceratizit–WNT Pro Cycling

Ceratizit–WNT Pro Cycling (UCI code WNT) is a professional women's cycling team, based in Kempten, Germany, which competes in elite road bicycle racing events such as the UCI Women's World Tour.

History

The team was founded in 2014 as an amateur club team in Sheffield / UK competing in regional and national races with the occasional UCI level race. After three years the team was transformed from an amateur team into a professional UCI team, and is invited to compete in major races all over Europe. The team itself no longer consists purely of British riders. Since 2019 the team includes women of seven different countries (Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, France and Canada) giving it an even greater international flavour. 2019 saw a big expansion and inclusion of high-level riders into the team roster such as Kirsten Wild, Lisa Brennauer and Ane Santesteban. Due this expansion the team made the step-up into the top 10 of the UCI-ranking, with a ranking of 7th place. In 2020 the team signed Maria Giulia Confalonieri of Italy and Julie Leth of Denmark, both double European Champions.

2017

Ahead of the 2017 season, WNT made another leap in the team's progression by applying for a UCI Women's team licence, with former Scottish Cycling head coach Graeme Herd as their directeur sportif.[1][2] Expanding its roster outside the UK and Ireland, gaining Austrian Anna Badegruber and Luxembourger Elise Maes from Austrian team Vitalogic Astrokalb Radunion Nö as it stepped away from its UCI Women licence in 2017.[3][4][5]

The team won its first professional race in its first outing as a UCI team in March 2017, on stage 4 of Setmana Ciclista Valenciana when Irish Champion Lydia Boylan soloed to victory. The team's second UCI victory came at the Lotto Thüringen Ladies Tour on stage 3, when Hayley Simmonds attacked in the closing kilometres, taking a solo victory of over a minute, and consequently moved into the yellow jersey. Simmonds finished 3rd place on general classification behind Lisa Brennauer.

At the end of 2017, the team's service course moved from the UK to Reutte, Austria, the hometown of WNT's parent company, Ceratizit, although the team's address registered with the Union Cycliste Internationale was still located in Sheffield.[6][7]

2018

2018 saw a further internationalisation of the roster, with the additions of German Lea Lin Teutenberg and Dutchwoman Aafke Soet.[8][9] Spanish bicycle component manufacturer, Rotor signed onto Team WNT as a second naming sponsor, setting the team to be the first to race full-time on hydraulic shifting and braking groupset.[10] WNT-Rotor took on a greater Spanish influence with its switch from long time frame partner Specialized to Orbea. The team also joined as one of five UCI women's teams to transition to disc brakes in 2018, moving from its already new hydraulic Rotor rim brake groupset to debut the disc brake version at Dwars door Vlaanderen.[11]

Shortly after the team completed Setmana Ciclista Valenciana, it was announced that Graeme Herd would leave the team immediately, with Dirk Baldinger taking up Herd's role as DS.[12] Former Cervélo–Bigla Pro Cycling rider, Canadian Gabrielle Pilote-Fortin was a late signing for 2018 at the end of March.[13]

Half the team's then ten rider roster were selected to compete on the road and track at the 2018 Commonwealth Games; for Northern Ireland, Lydia Boylan, for Wales, Hayley Jones, for Scotland, Eileen Roe, and for England Melissa Lowther and Hayley Simmonds. While Melissa Lowther had been selected for both the time trial and road race, but due to an administrative error by Team England, Lowther was barred from starting the individual time trial.[14] Hayley Simmonds earned a bronze medal in the Commonwealth Games individual time trial, behind recent ITT world championship medallist Katrin Garfoot and former time trial world champion Linda Villumsen.[15]

Aafke Soet earned WNT Rotor's first win of the 2018 season at the start of April by winning the last stage of the Healthy Ageing Tour in solo breakaway, the victory was also her first-ever elite-level win.[16] Soet would back up that road race win at her next race appearance, with the fastest time in the time trial event at Omloop van Borsele.

2019

The Season 2019 started very successfully for the WNT-ROTOR Pro Cycling Team. After wins at the Six Days in Bremen (Germany) on the track the new team member Clara Koppenburg won stage 3 of the Seltmana Ciclista Valenciana and took over the General Classification jersey. The team defended this jersey on stage 4 and also won the team classification. One-week later Kirsten Wild and Lisa Brennauer won in total 5 medals at the Track World Championships in Pruszków, Poland; Wild won gold in the Madison and omnium, Silver in the scratch race and Bronze in the points race, while Brennauer won a silver medal in the individual pursuit and a new German record).

The team won its first UCI Women's World Tour race at Driedaagse Brugge-De Panne with Kirsten Wild who won the bunch sprint after a big lead out from Lisa Brennauer. Three days later, Kirsten Wild won Gent–Wevelgem, becoming the first rider to win the Belgian spring classic twice.

In total the team amassed 15 victories in road racing during the 2019 season with four different riders. Kathrin Hammes won the overall classification of the Lotto Thüringen Ladies Tour after being in the breakaway on stage 1. The team helped defended the yellow, where Kathrin was able to win her home tour by 11 seconds.

On 28 November 2019, the team announced that the CERATIZIT Group, who are the parent company of WNT would be joining as title sponsor of the team.

Team roster

As of 20 April 2023.[17]
Rider Date of birth
 Sandra Alonso (ESP) (1998-08-19) 19 August 1998
 Katie Archibald (GBR) (1994-03-12) 12 March 1994
 Alice Maria Arzuffi (ITA) (1994-11-19) 19 November 1994
 Laura Asencio (FRA) (1998-05-14) 14 May 1998
 Nina Berton (LUX) (2001-08-03) 3 August 2001
 Franziska Brauße (GER) (1998-11-20) 20 November 1998
 Mylène de Zoete (NED) (1999-01-03) 3 January 1999
 Lana Eberle (GER) (2003-11-28) 28 November 2003
Rider Date of birth
 Arianna Fidanza (ITA) (1995-01-06) 6 January 1995
 Martina Fidanza (ITA) (1999-11-05) 5 November 1999
 Nadine Gill (GER) (1991-04-19) 19 April 1991
 Cédrine Kerbaol (FRA) (2001-05-15) 15 May 2001
 Marta Lach (POL) (1997-05-26) 26 May 1997
 Hanna Nilsson (SWE) (1992-02-16) 16 February 1992
 Kathrin Schweinberger (AUT) (1996-10-26) 26 October 1996
 Lea Lin Teutenberg (GER) (1999-07-02) 2 July 1999

Major wins

2017
Stage 4 Semana Ciclista Valenciana, Lydia Boylan
Stage 3 Thüringen Rundfahrt der Frauen, Hayley Simmonds
Round 2 Stoke-on-Trent Tour Series, Katie Archibald
Round 6 Bath Tour Series, Eileen Roe
Round 7 Motherwell Tour Series, Eileen Roe
Round 8 Team Time Trial, Stevenage Tour Series, Katie Archibald, Emily Kay, Keira McVitty, Gabriella Shaw, Lydia Boylan
2018
Stage 5 Healthy Ageing Tour, Aafke Soet
Omloop van Borsele Time Trial, Aafke Soet
Young rider classification Emakumeen Euskal Bira, Aafke Soet
2019
Overall Setmana Ciclista Valenciana, Clara Koppenburg
Stage 3, Clara Koppenburg
1st Three Days of De Panne, Kirsten Wild
1st Gent–Wevelgem, Kirsten Wild
Stages 3 & 5 Healthy Ageing Tour, Kirsten Wild
Stage 4b Healthy Ageing Tour, Lisa Brennauer
Overall Festival Elsy Jacobs, Lisa Brennauer
Points classification, Lisa Brennauer
Stage 2, Lisa Brennauer
Basque rider classification Emakumeen Euskal Bira, Ane Santesteban
Overall Thüringen Rundfahrt der Frauen, Kathrin Hammes
Stages 1 & 2 Tour de Bretagne Féminin, Kirsten Wild
Overall Madrid Challenge by La Vuelta Lisa Brennauer
Stage 1 (ITT), Lisa Brennauer
2021
La Picto–Charentaise, Marta Lach
2022
Stage 5 Bretagne Ladies Tour, Marta Lach
Stage 2 Tour of Uppsala, Hanna Nilsson
Stage 1 Giro della Toscana Int. Femminile, Martina Fidanza
Overall Tour de la Semois, Maria Giulia Confalonieri
Stage 3 Tour de Romandie, Marta Lach
2023
Women Cycling Pro Costa De Almería, Arianna Fidanza
Overall Tour de Normandie, Cédrine Kerbaol
Stage 2, Cédrine Kerbaol
Ronde de Mouscron, Martina Fidanza
Stage 1 Bretagne Ladies Tour, Marta Lach
Ronde van Honselersdijk, Mylene de Zoete
Prologue Giro Toscana Int. Femminile, Franziska Brauss
Young rider classification Tour de France, Cédrine Kerbaol
GP Fourmies Women, Marta Lach
Grisette Grand Prix de Wallonie, Marta Lach
Stage 1 Tour of Chongming Island, Mylene de Zoete

National, European and World Championships

2015
Irish Road Race, Lydia Boylan
2016
Irish Road Race, Lydia Boylan
2017
British Track (Individual pursuit), Katie Archibald
British Track (Points race), Katie Archibald
British Track (Scratch race), Katie Archibald
British Track (Omnium), Katie Archibald
British Criterium, Katie Archibald
World Track (Omnium), Katie Archibald
Irish Road Race, Lydia Boylan
Irish Track (Scratch race), Lydia Boylan
European Track (Individual pursuit), Katie Archibald
European Track (Omnium), Katie Archibald
2018
Irish Track (Omnium), Lydia Boylan
European U23 Time Trial, Aafke Soet
Irish Track (Scratch Race), Lydia Boylan
2019
World Track (Omnium), Kirsten Wild
World Track (Madison), Kirsten Wild
European Track (Omnium), Kirsten Wild
European Track (Elimination Race), Kirsten Wild
European Track (Individual Pursuit), Franziska Brausse
European Track (U23 Individual Pursuit), Franziska Brausse
German Road Race, Lisa Brennauer
German Track (Madison), Franziska Brausse
German Track (Madison), Lin Teutenberg
German Track (Omnium), Franziska Brausse
German Track (Team Pursuit), Franziska Brausse
German Track (Individual Pursuit), Franziska Brausse
2020
World Track (Madison), Kirsten Wild
World Track (Scratch), Kirsten Wild
Denmark Track (Omnium), Julie Leth
German Road Race, Lisa Brennauer
European Team Time Trial, Lisa Brennauer
Denmark Track (Individual Sprint), Julie Leth
European U23 Track (Individual pursuit), Franziska Brauße
2021
German Time Trial, Lisa Brennauer
German Road Race, Lisa Brennauer
Olympic Games Track (Team pursuit), Franziska Brauße
Olympic Games Track (Team pursuit), Lisa Brennauer
World Mixed Team Time Trial, Lisa Brennauer
European (Individual pursuit), Lisa Brennauer
European (Team pursuit), Lisa Brennauer
European (Team pursuit),Franziska Brauße
World Track (Madison), Kirsten Wild
World Track (Team pursuit), Lisa Brennauer
World Track (Team pursuit), Franziska Brauße
World Track (Individual pursuit), Lisa Brennauer
2022
German Time Trial, Lisa Brennauer
Austria Track (Omnium), Kathrin Schweinberger
Austria Track (Madison), Kathrin Schweinberger
Austria Track (Points race), Kathrin Schweinberger
Austria Track (Scratch race), Kathrin Schweinberger
World Track (Individual pursuit), Franziska Brauße
World Track (Team pursuit), Martina Fidanza
World Track (Scratch race), Martina Fidanza
2023
Luxembourg U23 Time Trial, Nina Berton
France Time Trial, Cédrine Kerbaol

References

  1. "Team WNT apply for UCI Licence for 2017 season". The Bike Comes First. 27 September 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
  2. "Team WNT has appointed Graeme Herd as Director Sportif". WNT Rotor. 10 October 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
  3. Arthurs-Brennan, Michelle (9 January 2017). "Team WNT Pro Cycling Announce Roster & Gain UCI License". Total Women's Cycling. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
  4. "Austrian all-rounder adds more international flavour to Team WNT". WNT Rotor. 9 November 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
  5. "Team WNT goes home for latest signing". WNT Rotor. 24 October 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
  6. Rogers, Owen (28 September 2018). "Team WNT-Rotor cuts British ties". Cycling Weekly. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  7. "WNT Rotor Pro Cycling Team". Union Cycliste Internationale. 2018. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  8. O'Shea, Sadhbh (15 February 2018). "Lea Lin Teutenberg: Carrying on an iconic family name in pro cycling". Cycling News. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
  9. "Former European Junior Time-Trial Champion signs for 2018". WNT Rotor. 26 September 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
  10. Robinson, Joe (22 November 2017). "WNT-Rotor women's team to be testing ground for Rotor Uno groupset". Cyclist. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
  11. "WNT – ROTOR Pro Cycling". Facebook. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
  12. "Team News: Dirk Baldinger Joins WNT as DS". Velo UK. 28 February 2018. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
  13. Tremblay, Philippe (28 March 2018). "Gabrielle Pilote-Fortin lands last minute gig with WNT-Rotor Pro Cycling". Canadian Cycling Magazine. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
  14. "Team England statement – Melissa Lowther". Team England. 10 April 2018. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
  15. Wynn, Nigel (10 April 2018). "Harry Tanfield and Hayley Simmonds claim silver and bronze in Commonwealth Games time trial". Cycling Weekly. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
  16. "UNO victory for Aafke Soet after a sensational performance". WNT Rotor. 10 April 2018. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
  17. "CERATIZIT - WNT PRO CYCLING TEAM". UCI.org. Union Cycliste Internationale. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
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