'I am looking forward to racing with the 'big' team' says 19-year-old Niedermaier, Canyon-SRAM announce 14 riders to 2023 roster
Ricarda Bauernfeind (Canyon-SRAM Generation) wears the points jersey at the Vuelta Ciclista Andalucia Ruta Del Sol(Image credit: Thomas Maheux)
Canyon-SRAM Generation's Ricarda Bauernfeind and Antonia Niedermaier will step up to the Women's WorldTeam, having signed two-year contracts with Canyon-SRAM Racing beginning in 2023.
The German riders excelled in the races that were part of the international calendar, showing that they were both ready to join the top tier of racing.
"We are proud that in the first year of existence of Canyon-SRAM Generation, the riders have developed from being competitive in national competition races into world-class athletes," said Team Manager Ronny Lauke.
"Leaving a footprint in races from the early part of the season, being on the podium and winning in UCI-categorised events regularly in the second part of the season, and earning medals at UCI Road World Championships, proves this step is relevant and necessary for further growth of individual athletes as well as the growth of the sport."
Canyon-SRAM is one of the first WorldTour teams to officially register a development team, Canyon-SRAM Generation, as part of a two-tier programme that made its debut this season. The team hired eight riders that also included Olivia Shililifa, Fatima Deborah Conteh, Agua Marina Espinola, Valentine Nzayisenga, Siti Nur Alia Mansor, and Lioi Sharpe.
Bauernfeind, 22, finished on the podium in all three stages and the overall classification at Vuelta Ciclista Andalucia Ruta del Sol, a stage and fifth overall of Thüringen Ladies Tour, and stages along with third overall at Tour Feminin Internationa des Pyrenees, and a stage of Tour de l'Ardeche.
She also won under-23 national titles in the time trial and road race, and in the time trial at European Championships, and finished the season with two bronze medals in the under-23 road race and time trial at the World Championships in Australia.
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“I‘m proud to step up to Canyon-SRAM Racing for the next two years. Five years ago, I had the dream to become a WorldTour rider, but at the same time, I recognised that I wasn‘t ready for it. I did other things, and I studied at university. Having a WorldTour contract shows me that I made the right decision. I can’t wait until the season starts,” Bauernfeind said.
She noted that competing for one season as part of a development team allowed her to take slower steps and progress confidently toward the highest level of the sport as she looks ahead to bigger races on the calendar, such as the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
"Canyon-SRAM Generation allowed me to learn how to race. I raced in higher-level races with more riders in the bunch. I was encouraged to be brave and try new tactics in a race. As a team, we learned how to be professional cyclists and how everyone in a team can grow and learn different things from each other," she said.
“This year was incredible. I never expected to reach so many great results in my first year as a professional cyclist. In every race, I was motivated to give my best and have fun at the same time. I had the best support from the Canyon-SRAM Generation team, including the riders, staff, and sponsors, from my coach and my family. I want to give a big thank you to all of them.
“I‘m super motivated for next season. I want to support my teammates to reach great results, have fun and enjoy the racing. I still have a lot of things to learn, but I am confident I have the best team and teammates around me to improve myself. My goal is to develop as a rider and a person and race a big stage race like Giro d’Italia Donne or Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift in the next two years."
Antonia Niedermaier in the junior women's time trial at 2021 World Championships (Image credit: Getty Images)
Niedermaier, 19, who earned the bronze medal in the junior women's time trial at the 2021 World Championships, spent the first half of this season completing her high school education before joining Canyon-SRAM Generation in June.
She took second place at Classica de l'Arros in Spain and a silver medal at the under-23 road race at the national championships. In her top performance of the season, Niedermaier won two stages, the youth classification and the overall title at the Tour de l'Ardéche.
“I am very excited about the new step. I think that a lot of challenges will wait for me. I am looking forward to racing with the 'big' team," she said.
"I am looking forward to doing bigger races because I think the dynamic in these races will be completely different. I hope for some great stage races because I like to go on my limit every day, again and again. My personal goal is to do an excellent job for the team and reach good results in some races."
Niedermaier competes in two sports, combining her cycling goals in the summer with ski mountaineering in the winter. She also said she learned a lot through bike racing at the development level for one season, which includes racing tactics and communication.
"Coming from a ski mountaineering background, it was important to learn all these things in smaller races with less pressure from the outside. It was an excellent year to get into this sport. It was also important to see how pro cycling sport works and to learn a lot of new stuff," she said.
She will continue racing ski mountaineering during winter, starting with her first races in January and finishing at the World Championships at the start of March in Boí Taüll, Spain.
"My coach helps me to combine both sports. It has worked well, and we have a good balance between rest and training not to stress my body too much. My main goal this winter is the World Championships, and then I can move my focus to my cycling goals."
Canyon-SRAM has announced 14 riders for 2023, which includes new signings British Champion Alice Towers and Maike van der Duin (both from Le Col-Wahoo), and Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka (from ATOM Deweloper Posciellux.pl Wrocław).
The final rider to be added to the 15-rider roster following the 2022 Zwift Academy.
Kirsten Frattini is the Deputy Editor of Cyclingnews, overseeing the global racing content plan.
Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science. She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races, reporting on the WorldTour, Spring Classics, Tours de France, World Championships and Olympic Games.
She began her sports journalism career with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006. In 2018, Kirsten became Women's Editor – overseeing the content strategy, race coverage and growth of women's professional cycling – before becoming Deputy Editor in 2023.
