Pre-race interviews for Lucy Garner and Dani King from Wiggle High5(Image credit: Sean Robinson/Velofocus)
Wiggle High5 announced Monday that British sisters Lucy and Grace Garner have renewed their contracts with the team. The squad will shift focus and back former domestique, Lucy, in bunch sprints in 2018.
“Wiggle High5 is absolutely blessed to have the opportunity to continue working with Lucy and Grace – two of the nicest athletes in the peloton and, both huge talents!” said team owner Rochelle Gilmore.
"Until now, Lucy has been doing her time in Wiggle High5 as a domestique and, learning from her more experienced teammates. It’s now time for us to create some opportunities for Lucy to race for sprint wins. Still only 23 years of age, I believe she is ready…. we're very confident Lucy will be ready in 2018 to mix it with the top sprinters."
Lucy, a former two-time junior road race world champion (2011 and 2012), has been with the team since the beginning of 2016. This season, while filling her role in the team's lead-out train, Lucy was on the podium in the Omloop van de Ijsseldelta and Tour of Guangxi.
"I'm really looking forward to staying with Wiggle High5 for another year," she said. "It will be my third year with the team in 2018. The past two years I have learnt a lot and I'm really trying to make a big step next year and Wiggle High5 have the confidence in me and want to help me achieve my best. I have a new coach and I'm really motivated for what’s to come in 2018. We have a few new riders joining the team next year so it will be exciting to see how we will all come together and help each other reach the top.
“Another reason I'm excited to be staying with Wiggle High5 is that Grace will be staying for another year as well,” Lucy added. “We are sisters but also best friends and push each other to our best on the bike."
Grace, 20, joined Wiggle High5 at the start of the 2017 season and picked up a fifth-place finish at the Santos Women’s Tour and later defend her title at the Essex Giro in the UK.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
"I'm really happy to have signed with Wiggle High5 for another season," Grace said. "It’s been a huge learning curve for me this year and I’m really excited to go into next year in a familiar setting and knowing that the team have confidence in me. Last year, I was extremely grateful of the opportunities that were given to me. I have new goals and targets for next year so I’m chuffed to be able to try and reach them with this team. For my first year professional Wiggle High5 was the perfect setting for me. Everyone is friendly and welcoming but professional at the right moments.”
Wiggle High5 has been announcing its 2018 roster one-by-one and has recently announced new signings Eri Yonamine, Macey Stewart along with Kirsten Wild, Lisa Brennauer, Katie Archibald and Martin Ritter.
