Canyon-SRAM announced it has extended the contract of Australian Neve Bradbury. The 19-year-old made her professional debut with the team this season after coming through the Zwift Academy.
Having made her mark on the virtual racing platform, Bradbury's first goal will be the Esports World Championships before focusing on the road and a possible berth at the first Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
"I know this career is what I want to do. I'm as sure as the day I decided I wanted to be a professional cyclist that I want to continue with the team," Bradbury said in the team's press release.
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"Canyon-SRAM Racing and the Zwift Academy gave me the opportunity to become a pro cyclist and I'm very excited to have my contract extended for 2022. The team is so well supported by its many partners, and this support in turn assists in my development as a rider. My teammates have been welcoming, and most are very experienced riders in the peloton. I'm keen to continue to learn as much from them as I can.
"My first year racing at this level has been a steep learning curve. There are many things I can work on moving forward into 2022 such as being assertive in the bunch, my raw strength and sprint power, and utilising my energy more efficiently," Bradbury said.
The COVID-19 pandemic has complicated life for riders, especially those from Australia where travel restrictions and mandatory quarantine for arrivals have upended typical season plans and made her debut season more difficult.
"Living away from my family and friends back in Australia for most of the year, and not knowing whether I'd be able to return home due to the pandemic travel restrictions has been difficult. I had three crashes in three consecutive races which meant I lost my confidence and I had to work hard to regain it," Bradbury explained.
Now back home in Melbourne, Bradbury says she won't be in top form for the Australian championships after taking a break, but is targeting the UCI Esports World Championships in February.
"After these two, my main priority for the season is to race consistently well, with the goal of being selected in the team's roster for either the Giro d'Italia, or the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
"The Giro, with its mountains, is a race I've always wanted to do, and being a part of the women's Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift would be a dream come true. I'm excited about the racing possibilities in 2022."
With Bradbury's extension, the Women's WorldTeam is nearly complete, with one more rider to be announced after the Zwift Academy final this month.
