Caroline Andersson joins AG Insurance-Soudal in major boost for Kim Le Court-Pienaar's support squad – Analysis

Swedish racer Caroline Andersson is switching Liv-AlUla-Jayco for AG Insurance-Soudal on a three-year deal, the Belgian team has announced.

The 25-year-old will join a growing, ambitious team in their fourth season of Women's WorldTour racing, racing alongside riders such as former Liège-Bastogne-Liège champion Kim Le Court-Pienaar and climbing stars Sarah Gigante and Urška Zigart.

Andersson stepped up to the professional ranks in 2023, moving up from Norwegian squad Coop-Hitec to Liv-TeqFind, which then merged with Jayco-AlUla.

She's spent four seasons in that setup and has grown into a versatile rider with a penchant for hilly races.

"I'm super excited to join AG Insurance-Soudal. From the very first meeting with the team, it already felt like the right place for me. I immediately felt that it was a team where I could see myself fitting in and developing further," Andersson said upon penning her new deal.

"I've looked up to The Wolfpack since I was a child. I've always been a big fan of the Classics and have followed both the men's and women's teams, racing as a pack. Being part of that is something I've looked up to for a long time, so it's really cool to now have the opportunity to join the team."

Andersson has developed year on year since joining Liv and has returned a series of good results this season and last.

A highlight of 2025 was fourth place at the hilly spring race, the Navarra Women's Elite Classic, while she flourished later in the year. Fifth at the Kreiz Breizh Elites was followed by top 10s at the Classic Lorient Agglomération and GP Stuttgart, as well as second at the Tour of Guangxi one-day race, narrowly missing out in a two-up sprint.

At the Rwanda Worlds, she impressed to finish 11th alongside Demi Vollering, Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney, Marlen Reusser, and future teammate Le Court-Pienaar, despite racing in a team of one.

This season, she showed herself in the cobbled Classics, converting a day in the break at Le Samyn into a fourth-place finish and also grabbing a top 10 at Nokere Koerse.

More recently, Andersson achieved a career-best Women's WorldTour result at the Tour of Britain Women, where five days of consistent racing through the hills saw her finish fourth overall. A standout performance, and a real show of her hillclimbing ability, came with third place on the stage 3 hilltop finish at The Great Orme in Llandudno.

"Right now, I have mixed emotions. In one way, I’m a bit disappointed because I tactically made a mistake at the bottom of the climb, but in another way it’s relief to know that my legs are really there," Andersson said after the stage, where she finished 20 seconds behind eventual race winner Le Court-Pienaar.

"I owe everything to Quinty Ton today. We were both caught behind in a crash, and without her I would never have made it back. She did the most fantastic job. I’m super happy she’s my teammate, and I think this is a good day for the team."

She'll be aiming for similar races, including hilly Classics, with her new team, AG Insurance-Soudal.

"I hope I can make a difference, especially by supporting the team in the stage races and Classics, while also taking my own opportunities when they come. I'm really looking forward to this new experience and to seeing what we can achieve together."

Analysis

Dani Ostanek

Andersson is a rare Swede at the top level of cycling – Emilia Fahlin, Magnus Bäckstedt, and Thomas Löfkvist are other notable examples – and will be one to watch as she continues to develop with a change of scenery after four years with Liv.

She has clearly progressed strongly in recent years, scoring her best results yet towards the end of this season and last. That should continue at AG Insurance-Soudal, a team which certainly represents a step up.

At present, there's no doubt that her new team is stronger than her soon-to-be former squad. They have four times as many wins on the board in 2026, and, in Le Court-Pienaar, they boast a real reference point in the women's peloton.

The Mauritian's rise to stardom – she raced her first Women's WorldTour race two years ago, and she's now a Liège champion and double Tour de France Femmes stage winner – has been rapid. Andersson may well have looked at her development and wondered how far the team can take her, too.

Before we get ahead of ourselves, though, Andersson figures to slot in well at AG. She'll be working for and learning from Le Court-Pienaar and a backroom staff which includes the experience of Jolien D'hoore, Dani Christmas, and Stijn Steels.

In Britain, she proved that she can compete with some of the world's best over punchy terrain, and she should get chances to prove that further on her new team.

"Caroline is a very versatile rider who will add depth to our team. She is an experienced rider who can play an important role in our tactics, especially in one-day races," D'hoore said.

"I'm sure she will make a positive impact both on and off the bike. We're very pleased to welcome Caroline and look forward to seeing what we can achieve together."

While the move looks positive for Andersson and AG, things are less rosy for Liv. With her, Quinty Ton, and Letizia Paternoster heading out the door in 2027, the Australian squad are waving goodbye to a spate of talent.

They still have some leaders left under contract, including Monica Trinca Colonel and Ruby Roseman-Gannon. The team's future has been unclear, but Daniel Benson recently reported that owner Gerry Ryan has signalled to staff and riders that he's found a new investor to secure their future. In any case, they'll need to strengthen to remain competitive.

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