Australian moves from Movistar to Danish program in 2019
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Kat Garfoot and Rachel Neylan prepare for the stage(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Rachel Neylan (Australia)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Gracie Elvin, Rachel Neylan and Chloe Hosking (Australia) post-race(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Rachel Neylan (Australia) at Worlds(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Rachel Neylan has signed a contract to race with the Danish-registered UCI Women’s Team Virtu Cycling in 2019. The Australian joins the team from the Spanish outfit Movistar.
"I'm really thrilled to join Virtu Cycling Women for 2019," Neylan said on the team's website. "I am excited about bringing my experience and enthusiasm to compliment a strong team of women next year."
Neylan was second in the elite women's road race at the World Championships in 2012. She spent three seasons with the Orica-Scott team before joining the inaugural Movistar team for the 2018 season. Her role at Movistar was to help develop and mentor a young team.
"Rachel has had a very successful past up into this point in her career and we really want to help find her way back into the top ranks of the World Tour," said Virtu Cycling director Carmen Small.
"With the right preparation and support, I believe that Rachel can keep improving on the bike and do even more than before. She brings experience to the team and can help the other climbers, whether that is in a support role or her taking the reins herself. This year, we have tried to strengthen the team in the more climbing race and Rachel will be a crucial part of this next step towards success."
Movistar recently announced their roster for next season, and Neylan was the only rider who was not listed to return, but the team thanked her for her efforts this season on their social media channels.
Like Movistar, Virtu is also a young team that has had ample success in the previous two years. They were off to a strong start with victory at the spring classics opener Omloop Het Nieuwsblad with Christina Siggaard. It might have been their only win of the season, but they did have other good performances with top 10s in the Classics and at PostNord Vargarda, and second in the time trial at the Commonweath Games
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"Virtu is a team I have watched over the past two years growing with sustainability and cohesiveness, while thriving on passion and ambition – something I strongly admire in an organisation and am very driven to be part of," Neylan said. "I’m looking forward to taking an next step in my career with a wonderful hard working and innovative team of people in pro cycling!"
