Hosking joins Ale Cipollini Galassia in 2017
Australian adjusts cycling career to suit enrolment in law school
Chloe Hosking has signed a one-year deal with the Alé Cipollini team for the 2017 season. The move from Wiggle High5 will allow her to stay closer to home in Australia while she completes an online law degree.
"I don't like standing still," Hosking said. "It's time to move on.
"I made the decision that I wanted a more flexible work environment that would give me really concentrated periods of racing in Europe and then allow me to train in Australia. I realise it's unorthodox and that not every team would be open to offering this sort of arrangement. I'm really excited that Alé Cipollini Galassia can and is willing to allow me try it and see how it works."
Hosking had a strong season with Wiggle High5 this year winning a stage at the Tour of Qatar, and went on to win a stage and the overall title at the Tour of Chongming Island, a stage at the Giro d'Italia and La Course by Le Tour de France. The latter three were Women's WorldTour events. She capped off this season with a stage win at La Route de France and second at the Madrid Challenge.
"I think I really came into my own as a rider at Wiggle alongside some fantastic teammates," Hosking said. "I'm grateful to have been part of so many of the team's victories these last two years, including some of my own.
"My results this year speak a bit to me growing up as a rider. The stage win at the Giro comes with me learning how to better manage my body at stage races. In races that I might normally have done better in the spring, I wasn't on-form because my goal was never to be in form in April, my goal is to be on form in mid-October. I had to sacrifice a bit this year in early season results, but I got lucky – well, not lucky because I had to work hard – but the work I've done in preparation for Qatar [World Championships], which has really been my sole focus this year, has gotten me some big results."
Hosking hopes to return to Doha, Qatar in October at the UCI Road World Championships to compete for the prestigious world title. She will then travel back to Australia to begin her off-season.
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"Hopefully I'm returning [in 2017] with rainbow stripes," Hosking said.
Ale Cipollini will rely on Hosking for her sprint, along side the team's other top sprinters like Marta Bastianelli, during two main blocks of racing next season.
"We worked with Chloe on her race program, like we do with our other athletes," said team manger Fortunato Lacquaniti. "We believe this sort of planning allows us to reach our objectives as a team. We strongly pursued Chloe for Alé Cipollini Galassia, and we are proud to give the official announcement of this signing. We have put in a lot of effort to create a strong and stable team. With the arrival of Chloe, the team has two great leaders in Chloe and Marta Bastianelli.
"Chloe has many important qualities that make her an exiting addition, but what I would like to highlight is her undisputed human qualities. She is an athlete that is able put herself at the team's disposal as we have seen at the Madrid Challenge and also take responsibility to win for herself as she did at La Course.
"With Chloe we confirm even more the international aspect we began to focus on some years ago. Beyond internationality, we are confident that Chloe will bring big value to team and combined with Marta help us become a top sprint team."
Hosking will begin her 2017 season with Alé Cipollini in Europe at the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in February and race through to the Grand Prix de Dottignies in beginning of April.
"That's only six weeks of racing in the spring," Hosking said. "In the past, I've had to hold form all the way through until China, so I think it could work really well for me where I only have to be on form for a smaller period. Hopefully that will translate into better results in the spring next year."
After spending time in Australia, she will then have a block of racing in China and then Europe, beginning at the Aviva Women's Tour in mid-June through to the Madrid Challenge at the beginning of September, returning to both the Giro Rosa and La Course by Le Tour de France in between.
"That's a much longer block," Hosking said. "Essentially, next year is a fusion between enjoying riding my bike and enjoying my family.
"I'm really grateful that Alé Cipollini Galassia has offered me an opportunity that gives me the balance I need to keep myself happy and healthy. I'm keen to repay them for buying into this set-up I proposed."
