Last year's Tour de France Femmes winner Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney will take on a support role at the upcoming Vuelta Femenina, with Neve Bradbury expected to lead Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto in Spain.
The German team announced their squad for the first Grand Tour of the season on Thursday morning, with Niewiadoma-Phinney and Bradbury lining up alongside Justyna Czapla, Chloé Dygert, Nastya Kolesava, Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka, and Maike van der Duin for the start on Sunday.
Despite being the reigning Tour de France Femmes champion and an established stage racer, Niewiadoma-Phinney will take a backseat at the Vuelta after what her team described as "an intense and tumultuous spring racing block."
"I’m coming to La Vuelta in a supportive role, hoping to share my experience and approach with the riders in the GC fight," the Polish rider confirmed.
"After spring, I wouldn’t say I feel huge disappointment, but there’s a sense of lack of satisfaction – like I’m chasing that feeling of reward or knowing things went well. I really hope we can achieve that during La Vuelta."
Niewiadoma-Phinney didn't take a win during the Classics, but did finish in the top 10 at the Tour of Flanders, Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and is taking the Vuelta as an opportunity to recoup between the Ardennes and the summer stage racing.
"It all just happens so quickly, all the big races, one after another, week in and week out, and then you move straight into stage races. Personally, maybe it’s a little easier for me because I know I’m not targeting La Vuelta, so I’m going there hoping to use my form to help others," she said.
"If you’re targeting La Vuelta, you definitely need to adjust your training – not just focusing on the Classics and short efforts, but making sure you spend enough time preparing for the long mountains."
In Niewiadoma-Phinney's stead, Canyon-SRAM will likely look to Giro d'Italia stage winner Bradbury as their leader, who has been focusing more on stage racing so far this year with only two Classics appearances, at Trofeo Alfredo Binda and Amstel Gold Race.
Bradbury has yet to take a big GC victory, but finished on the overall podium of the Giro, UAE Tour, Tour de Suisse and Tour Down Under in 2024, and is emerging as one of the up-and-coming stage race contenders.
For Niewiadoma-Phinney, the presence of Bradbury alongside the likes of strong rouleur Dygert and attacking compatriot Skalniak-Sójka sets the team up for a good week in the often open Vuelta.
"We have a great team, super diverse, not just climbers, so I think we’ll be able to play interesting roles, improve day by day, and take lessons from each stage," Niewiadoma-Phinney said.
"Ultimately, I want us to have a great week of racing in Spain. I don’t want to experience another wasted opportunity or wasted day. We’re going there with the mindset to seize it all."
The team should have a good opportunity to seize a result as early as stage 1, when the race kicks off with an 8.1km team time trial in Barcelona. The TTT will set the first GC times, and with team pursuit Olympic champion Dygert in their midst, Canyon-SRAM should be contenders for the win.
"I wish it was a bit longer, but yeah – it’s going to be spicy, it’s going to burn, and it’s going to hurt… especially with Chloé on the front," Niewiadoma-Phinney concluded.
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