Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto will head to this weekend’s Trofeo Alfredo Binda without their planned leader Kasia Niewiadoma, but are still hoping to be in the mix with a strong line-up of young talents and experienced racers, including Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig.
Niewiadoma was set to line up in Italy on Saturday, but is currently recuperating after a heavy crash in Strade Bianche saw her avoid serious injury, but end up covered in road rash and abrasions.
Strade Bianche was an all-round disappointing day for the German team, failing to place any riders in the top 30. However, they are starting Trofeo Alfredo Binda with "great enthusiasm and a drive to bounce back" and a line-up capable of taking home a top finish.
"Strade was a really bad day for us. We were confident and on track to fight for the win with Kasia, but cycling showed us how cruel it can be sometimes. It hurt in the moment, but we’re tough," team talisman Soraya Paladin said in a press release ahead of the next Italian Classic. She was also a DNF at Strade Bianche.
In Niewiadoma’s absence, new signing Uttrup Ludwig will start as one of the team’s co-leaders. She has finished third at the Trofeo Binda on three occasions and in the top 10 for the last five years, though she has had a fairly slow start to 2025.
Alongside the Dane will be Paladin, who will be looked at as co-leader given her previous results in this race, including a close third in 2022 and fourth in 2024.
"Personally, I’m ready and motivated to race and do my best," the Italian said. "Binda is a race I really enjoy, and this year it’s even harder than before with an extra lap and more strong climbers at the start line.
"I’m expecting a lot of action, and it will be hard to control the race, so we need to be smart and ready to be in the right move. While we won’t have Kasia as planned, we’re still a strong team, and if we work well together, we can fight for the win."
The race is set to be harder this year, increasing in length to 152km and over 2,400m of climbing, thanks to the route now taking in six laps of the key circuit and its two climbs, up from five in 2024 and four before that.
Sprinters can win Trofeo Binda – Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) has taken the title in two of the last three editions – but the 2025 route looks to favour the climbers more and a more selective finish.
On that front, Canyon-SRAM will likely look to Giro d’Italia stage winner Antonia Niedermaier, with German climber Ricarda Bauernfeind only just coming back from a knee injury that saw her sidelined for the best part of a year.
"I’m really happy that I get to race Trofeo Binda," Bauernfeind said, after making her season debut at Trofeo Euro in Euro.
"It’s a WorldTour race, so it’s definitely a much tougher race. I know that I won’t play a role in the final because I’m simply not at that level yet. That’s why I hope to support my team at the start so that they can have enough power for the finale."
Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto line-up for Trofeo Alfredo Binda 2025
- Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig
- Neve Bradbury
- Alice Towers
- Soraya Paladin
- Ricarda Bauernfeind
- Antonia Niedermaier
