Skylar Schneider makes her return to the US peloton with L39ION of Los Angeles at Valley of the Sun Stage Race for the next three days. It's her second stint with the women's US domestic elite squad and her first time lining up at the race in Tucson, Arizona.
It's an abrupt change in many ways for the 27-year-old criterium star, and not just an excuse to get out of the snow and cold temperatures at her home in West Allis, Wisconsin. Skylar Schneider rode last year at the Women's WorldTour level with SD Worx-Protime, which was her second time to experience a "once in a lifetime opportunity" with the same top-level team in Europe.
After beginning her pro career and winning races with the TIBCO programme as a junior, Skylar Schneider jumped to Europe with Boels-Dolmans Cycling (now SD Worx) from 2018 to 2020, but didn't see the top step of the podium very often. When she made her first return to the US in 2021, she joined the then-newly formed L39ION of Los Angeles team, and across the next four seasons with L39ION and the spin-off Miami Blazers, she scored 90 podiums.
Without a second year on her SD Worx contract, it was time for a career déjà vu experience with a former team and a reboot with sister Samantha Schneider.
"When I learned that I would not be re-signing with Team SD Worx-Protime, I immediately knew that the only other team that I would want to race for was L39ION, even if that meant coming back to focus on US racing," Skylar Schneider told Cyclingnews.
"My sister and the Williams brothers [L39ION co-founders Justin and Cory] were the first people I broke the news to, and right away they welcomed me back with open arms. I grew up racing crits and watching them from afar. Last year actually made me miss them quite a lot!"
Away from European races last year, Skylar Schneider earned a silver medal in the road race at Pan-American Championships and won a local race at Kwik Trip Tour of America's Dairyland. She found her second time racing for SD Worx was rewarding in other ways than personal wins.
"There was so much that I enjoyed, especially getting to ride with Anna van der Breggen and work with a lot of the same staff that was with the team back in 2018-2020. Playing a small part in some of Lorena Wiebes' victories [last] year will be one of the most special memories of my career as she will always be one of my idols," she said.
"Having the opportunity to race with Boels-Dolmans from 2018-2020 was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I thought. When that chapter ended, I was really unsure whether I would ever return to racing in Europe again, and felt like I had left that part of my life unfinished.
"I tried to make the most of the next four years to build confidence again, and when Danny Stam [team manager] was interested in re-signing me for 2025 for Team SD-Worx ProTime, it really felt like a dream come true, for the second time.
"I really did not have an a-ha moment that it was time to come back to the US, but I do feel closure on that part of my career now.
The time trial on Friday at Valley of the Sun will see her flash the L39ION of Los Angeles colours for a second round in her career, joined by Holly Breck and Melsey Perez. Saturday is the 62-mile Silverhawk Private Wealth - The Grand Canyon State Road Race, and the final day is the 40-minute Trilogy Veterinary Medical Center Criterium.
"Other than my sister, the L39ION women's team has all new riders from when I was last on it in 2023. This is really exciting for me as we have the chance to build a really professional and cohesive team with a lot of untapped potential. We just have a small but mighty team of three women here with Holly, Melsey and I," she said from Arizona on Thursday.
"Wisconsin has been experiencing a colder & snowier winter than normal, so actually the ride today was my first time outside in months. I've only been training in Wisconsin so far this season, not with Sam, as we've both been training inside since November!"
Skylar Schneider will race without sister Samantha, who is eight years older, for the season opener. Both make their homes and spend their winters training indoors in West Allis, Wisconsin, a hotbed for producing sprinters on both the tarmac and the ice. It's the training site for the USA's speedskating team, competing now at the Olympic Winter Games in Italy. The Schneiders last raced together two years ago for the Blazers, and the sisters plan to lead the team at the top US one-day races for the summer.
"I'm looking forward to Tulsa Tough, Tour of America's Dairyland, and Gastown the most! Tulsa Tough & Gastown are iconic in their own ways and always draw the biggest crowds and prize money. Tour of America's Dairyland is incredibly special as all of the races are in Wisconsin, and nothing beats having hometown crowds."
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