'Racing is what sets me on fire' - Skylar Schneider returns to WorldTour with SD Worx-Protime in 2025

Skylar Schneider (Miami Blazers) returns to the Women's WorldTour and will race the 2025 road season with Team SD Worx-Protime. With a one-year contract in hand, Schneider will work again with Danny Stam, the sports manager for SD Worx-Protime who led the then-branded Boels-Dolmans Cycling Team when Schneider raced from 2018 to 2020.

The 26-year-old Wisconsin native was just 19 when she struck out from the US for the top tier in Europe. Stam recalled that "she was constantly homesick", and returned to the US after three years, but told him she would welcome a return to the team when she was ready.

‘Winning keeps winning, you have to have certain qualities for that. I think she can be of great value in the lead-out for Lorena Wiebes, but can also grow further. In terms of character she fits the team and I am also convinced that physically she has the ‘engine’ to compete at the highest level,’ Sturm said in a press release.

Schneider amassed 28 individual podiums in 2024, seven of those stage or criterium victories. She scored another pair of omnium wins, the overall at eight-race American Criterium Cup series and the sprint title in the ACC. 

She told Cyclingnews that the entire 2024 season was unique as she switched from L39ION of Los Angeles to Miami Blazers, both operated by Williams Racing Development, and had plans to join the world's number-one ranked pro women's team for the next season. 

"I knew that I would be moving to SD Worx in 2025, so it was important to me to spend one final season as teammates with my sister [Samantha Schneider] and representing Williams Racing Development. We accomplished a lot in 2024 including winning the American Criterium Cup individual overall, sprint jersey and second best team," she confirmed to Cyclingnews.

In 2023 she won the Pan-American road race, earned bronze at US Pro Nationals in the road race and finished the year with third at Tour de Gatineau. The last three seasons she has raced with her older sister Samantha Schneider, and the two teamed up last year to rake in 18 victories from their 36 podiums for L39ION of Los Angeles squad.

"Finishing the season on the podium with my sister in Doylestown was the best way to end an era of being teammates," she told Cyclingnews about one her highlights from 2024, where she and Samantha finished second and third, respectively, at the pro women's race at the Bucks County Classic.

"I'm also super proud about winning the West Allis Cheese Wheel Classic during the Tour of America's Dairyland as that's our hometown race where all of our family, friends, and bakery customers come watch; it's where both of my worlds collide."

'I love criterium racing'

Skylar Schneider and her sister opened a bakery/coffee shop and special event venue, The Bread Pedalers, near their hometown in Wisconsin in 2022, and that gave the younger sister an outlet from a reduced competition schedule when she returned to the US the year before. That was one dream turned into reality, but she admitted she still had a desire for more with a cycling career.

"As I was baking at night, I watched all of the women's races happening over in Europe. Then it became clear to me: ‘racing is what sets me on fire’, racing is what makes my heart beat faster. It became clear to me that I had to pursue my dream. I rode mostly criteriums in the US, which gave me a lot of confidence," Skyler said.

"I tried to get my foot in the door again by doing some racing in Europe. I was selected for two World Championships and won the Pan-American title. At some point, it became clear to me that I wanted to go all-in. Then I contacted Danny Stam again. I expected him to say no when I called him in 2023, but he was happy to hear from me. We made the plan to wait a year and work towards 2025, which seemed like the best approach."

Her decision was not based on a lack of racing opportunities in the US, as she emphasised that the many criterium series across the country and a spring packed with smaller stage races has helped her development.

"I absolutely love criterium racing and believe that it's the best format of racing for the US to nurture and grow. I know that the technicality and speed of criteriums in the US will translate well to the finals of road races in Europe and I'm looking forward to applying those skills."

Schneider won her first set of road nationals as a 12-year-old, taking victories in the road race and criterium, and she also scored the double as a junior. Next year will be her 15th season racing road bikes. She has represented Team USA at multiple stage races over the years and taken part in two World Championships and the Pan-Am Championships. Next goal? Help her new team and work to qualification for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

"I think 2025 will be all about re-learning the European style of racing and proving that I belong. I have realistic expectations regarding how difficult it will be, so am unsure what races I'll be doing, but look forward to every opportunity," she confirmed.

"At this time, I don't have any specific targets other than showing up to the races where I'm needed and performing well to contribute to the team's success!

"Thanks to my background in riding American criteriums, I am good at positioning. I can also handle short climbs. I hope to ride a mix of classic races and stage races.

"I think every athlete dreams of representing their country at a home Olympics. I believe making the 2028 Olympic games in LA my biggest goal will keep me extremely motivated over the next four years. It gives me enough time to develop and achieve a lot of 'smaller' goals along the way. Moving to SD Worx in 2025 is one big step in the right direction!"