The organisers of the Women's WorldTour race, the Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta, announced the 24 teams that will participate in this year's expanded four-day race held from September 2-5 in Spain.
All nine top-tier Women's WorldTeams will be on the start line - Alé BTC Ljubljana, Canyon-SRAM, FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope, Liv Racing, Movistar Team Women, Team BikeExchange, Team DSM, Team SD Worx and Trek-Segafredo.
Organisers have also invited 15 wildcard teams that are part of the second-tier of Continental teams which include eight Spanish-based teams Bizkaia-Durango, Eneicat-RBH Global-Martin Villa, Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi, Massi-Tactic Women Team, Rio Miera-Cantabria Deporte, Sopela Women’s Team, Team Farto-BTC and Women Cycling Sport.
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Ceratizit-WNT, the team of defending champion Lisa Brennauer, will be on the start line along with Norwegian Team Coop-Hitec Products, Canadian team Instafund Racing, Dutch team Jumbo-Visma, American outfit TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank and Italian teams Bepink and Valcar-Travel & Service.
This year's race has expanded to four days of racing, up one stage compared to last year, and is the only Women's WordTour race held in September. The four stages will take place in Galicia and include two mid-mountain stages, a mountain time trial to the Cabeza de Manzaneda Ski Resort, and a sprint finale in Santiago de Compostela.
The Ceratizit Challenge started out as a one-day race in Madrid in 2015 won by Shelley Olds, while the 2016 and 2017 editions were won by Jolien D'hoore . The event expanded to two stages in 2018 won by Ellen van Dijk. Brennauer won back-to-back editions in 2019 and in 2020, when a third stage was added. However, this year's race will be the toughest of all the editions.
Teams
- Ale’ BTC Ljubljana (ITA)
- Canyon-SRAM Racing (GER)
- FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope (FRA)
- Liv Racing (NED)
- Movistar Team Women (ESP)
- Team BikeExchange (AUS)
- Team DSM (GER)
- Team SD Worx (NED)
- Trek-Segafredo Women (USA)
- Bepink (ITA)
- Bizkaia-Durango (ESP)
- Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team (GER)
- Eneicat-RBH Global – Martin Villa (ESP)
- Team Coop-Hitec Products (NOR)
- Instafund Racing (CAN)
- Jumbo-Visma Women Cycling Team (NED)
- Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi (ESP)
- Massi-Tactic Women Team (ESP)
- Rio Miera-Cantabria Deporte (ESP)
- Sopela Women’s Team (ESP)
- Team Farto-BTC (ESP)
- TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank (USA)
- Valcar-Travel & Service (ITA)
- Women Cycling Sport (ESP)
