AG Insurance-NXTG has grown into a three-tier women's cycling programme, with its highest-level elite team applying for a place in the Women's WorldTeams in 2023.
The three levels next year will include an AG Insurance-NXTG under-19 team, an under-23 squad and the new addition of an elite team. All aim to provide development opportunities and a dedicated pathway to the highest level of the sport.
“I look back with great admiration and a lot of warmth on the performance of the teams in 2022," said AG Insurance CEO Heidi Delobelle regarding the company's partnership with the cycling teams, that started last March.
"I am not even talking about the sporting successes but rather about the evolution that the team went through. Both the team and the staff have grown over the past year. And with the creation of the elite team, AG Insurance-NXTG will take another step next year.”
AG Insurance became a title sponsor of the former NXTG Racing development team at the beginning of 2022 to form the Continental-registered development team AG Insurance-NXTG.
"We offer all teams a race program that suits them and helps their development. This is how we aim to create a sustainable project which we hope will also inspire other teams to work on the foundations of the sport’s pyramid," AG Insurance-NXTG wrote on its website.
Next year's under-19 programme roster will include nine riders, and the under-23 will include 11 riders, five of which have moved up from the younger team roster this season. The development teams will race a variety of races domestically and abroad.
The elite team will sit above the under-23 and under-19 development teams and has applied for a Women’s WorldTeam license for 2023. Their application is listed under AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step, reflecting their relationship with Patrick Lefevere's WorldTeam.
They are one of three teams to have applied for the 15th and last top-tier licence available for next year, alongside Ceratizit-WNT and Plantur-Pura (under the name Ciclismo Mundial).
They aim to race the biggest races in the spring season and to line up for the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, a race the Continental development team competed in this July.
Eight of this year's development riders will move up to the new 16-rider elite team, including Julia Borgström, Britt Knaven, Anya Louw, Gaia Masetti, Lone Meertens, Ilse Pluimers, Maud Rijnbeek and Ally Wollaston.
“Julia, Britt, Anya, Gaia, Lone, Ilse, Maud, and Ally have shown this year they are ready for that step up. With the addition of eight new riders, both experienced and upcoming riders, we have a balanced team for races on the Belgian cobbles but also the Ardennes and the higher mountains abroad like the Tour de France Femmes. It’s a well-rounded squad, and I can’t wait to see what they can do next year," said team CEO Natascha den Ouden.
New signings include Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (SD Worx), Lotta Henttala, Romy Kasper (Jumbo-Visma), Maaike Boogaard (UAE Team ADQ), Nicole Steigenga (Coop-Hitec Products), Justine Ghekiere (Plantur-Pura), Mireia Benito (Massi-Tactic) and Marthe Goossens (Multum Accountants), all led by former pro and the team's director Jolien D’hoore.
“With our three-part structure, we offer young talents every opportunity to make their cycling dreams come true and to develop sustainably in a professional environment. With real opportunities to grow from the base to the top: from the U19, over the U23 to the elite team. To see half of the current U23 team step up the elites is perhaps the biggest victory of the 2022 season, “ said AG CEO Delobelle.
“I am convinced that next year we will see beautiful things from them and from Jolien D’hoore and the rest of the experienced staff who chose to be part of our project.”
Under-19
- Laia Bosch Ballús (ESP)
- Ella Heremans (BEL)
- Nela Kankovska (CZE)
- Fee Knaven (NED)
- Nora Linton (CAN)
- Margot Marasco (FRA)
- Lore De Schepper (BEL)
- Luca Vierstraete (BEL)
- Nanoi Van Wettere (BEL)
Under-23
- Maureen Arens (NED)
- Febe Jooris (BEL)
- Julia Kopecky (CZE)
- Mirre Knaven (NED)
- Senne Knaven (BEL)
- Jade Linthoudt (BEL)
- Fien Masure (BEL)
- Laura Lizette Sander (EST)
- Noëlle Rüetschi (SUI)
- Yuli van der Molen (NED)
- Eline van Rooijen (NED)
Elite
- Mireia Benito (ESP)
- Maaike Boogaard (NED)
- Julia Borgström (SWE)
- Justine Ghekiere (BEL)
- Marthe Goossens (BEL)
- Lotta Henttala (FIN)
- Romy Kasper (GER)
- Britt Knaven (BEL)
- Anya Louw (AUS)
- Gaia Masetti (ITA)
- Lone Meertens (BEL)
- Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (RSA)
- Ilse Pluimers (NED)
- Maud Rijnbeek (NED)
- Nicole Steigenga (NED)
- Ally Wollaston (NZL)
