Today, it takes time to follow all the cycling news, it is difficult to watch all the races and be interested in all the categories. Of these latter, the junior women's category is surely the least followed by cycling fans, and yet, it is no less interesting, despite a sparse schedule. So after having followed this category with precision throughout the year, here's what to remember about the season.
While some runners have stood out from the crowd by winning numerous races, no one actually over-dominated the season, thus offering us a fairly open struggle. He confided in the microphone of the Colombian cycling federation, while the French Julie Bego and the Belgian Fleur Moors respectively sought the title of world champion and European champion, it was the Italian Federica Venturelli and the British Cat Ferguson who won most of the classics and general classifications. Let's review who were the best runners of the season, through this top 10 subjective.
Ranking
10) Carys Lloyd (17 years) – Britain
After spending a large part of the season in the shadows, or rather at the service of its leaders, the Briton then made a name for herself by winning the GP Ceratizit at the beginning of September. Despite the weak competition in this race, the victory was a good omen to approach the Watersley Ladies Challenge in the best conditions. She will end 2e of the prologue and the 2e stage, which will allow him to grab the podium in the final general classification. Carys Lloyd is shaping up to be one of the big names to watch among juniors next year, alongside Cat Ferguson and Imogen Wolff.
9) Léane Tabu (17 years) – France
The French climber started by doing a great Tour of Gévaudan, finishing 7e at the Montée Jalabert behind the best, Then 4e the day after, to finally finish 7e of the general classification. She will then be double champion of France in August (online race + against the watch) despite the absence of the best French women, selected at that time for the world championships. She will end her season by taking the bronze medal at the European Championships and winning the Chrono des Nations.. Léane Tabu will be one to watch closely in 2024, for his second year in junior.
8) Xaydee Van Sinaey / Hannah Kunz (18 years) – Belgium / Germany
The two runners were the authors of numerous places of honor throughout the season. This exemplary regularity hoists, in the same way, in the top 10. The Belgian will 5e on the Trofeo Alfredo Binda and the Ronde, but also 3e of the general classification and a stage of the Tour du Gévaudan, then she will complete her season with a top 10 on the world championships. She has not yet found a team for 2024. The German rider has signed with the UAE development team, after finishing 4e the l'EPZ Omloop van Borsele, 6e and 3e world and European time trial championships, or 5e du Watersley Ladies Challenge.
7) Celia Gery (17 years) – France
Only in first year, the French sprinter achieved excellent results by achieving 4 podiums including a stage victory on the EPZ Omloop van Borsele at the start of the season. She then had a string of good places on the Bizkaikolereak and even climbed onto the 3e march on stage on the Tour of Flanders. She will end up making a top 10 on the world championships. Célia Gery will therefore be, like Léane Tabu, one of the pillars of the French team in 2024.
6) Titia Ryo (18 years) – France
The former French champion has made enormous progress again this year. Despite no victory, she won a large number of places of honor at major events, like her tops 10 on the world and European championships. She is also going to do great 5 on the Bizkaikolereak and particularly appreciates the French races, demonstrates its recent 2e and 3e places on the Chrono des Nations and the GP Ceratizit. She will wear the colors of her regional team Arkea Samsic next season.
5) Izzy Sharp (18 years) – Britain
The Brit could have found herself higher in the rankings if she had completed a full season (only 9 race days). She started by making an exceptional start to the season by winning Gent Wevelgem and the EPZ Omloop van Borsele (stage + General classification). Izzy Sharp also signed a beautiful 4e place in the Trofeo Alfredo Binda and will go for the silver medal in the time trial world championships. Thanks to its magnificent results, the British company signed a contract 3 years with Lidl Trek.
4) Fleur Moors (18 years) – Belgium
Après un EPZ Omloop van Borsele difficile, the Belgian had a string of good results : top eight 5 including a podium at the world championships and especially the title of European champion. Fleur Moors is the runner who made the most linear progression throughout the season, accumulating top 5, podium, then victories, also winning a stage of the Watersley Ladies Challenge a few days before the European title. She will work next year at Lidl Trek, until 2025.
3) Julie Bego (18 years) – France
The Frenchwoman will have succeeded in bringing back the title of world champion, 13 years after Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, by imposing himself alone. She will have had a superb season, also winning a stage and the general classification of the Bizkaikolereak. Despite shortcomings in time trials, Julie Bego will have shown her climbing talents, even if she will be beaten by Venturelli on the climb Jalabert, during the first stage of the Tour du Gévaudan. Now evolving with the Cofidis team, she has already achieved excellent results among professionals, finishing 28e du Giro dell'Emilia .
2) Cat Ferguson (17 years) – Britain
The British proves to be an excellent classic women having won the Trofeo Alfredo Binda and the Ronde van Vlaanderen. She will also have won a stage of the Tour du Gévaudan and a stage of the Bizkaikolereak by punch.. However, she showed her limits in the mountains and against the clock., what prevented her from winning a general classification. On the world championships, she will settle the sprint of the peloton to win the silver medal behind Julie Bego. Being only in the first year, she will still be one of the great actresses next year in junior. She has already signed a contract with Movistar until 2027.
1) Federica Venturelli (18 years) – Italy
With 6 wins this season, the Italian is the runner who has raised her arms the most this year. She is also the one who has been on the podium the most, at 13 occasions. They won two general classifications (the Tour du Gévaudan and the Watersley Ladies Challenge) and also brings home a European time trial champion title, thus demonstrating her rolling skills, after finishing 3e of the timed event of the world championships. Despite that, she will not have succeeded in winning the road race of the world championships (4e), nor even on the European Championships (2e). She will play next year at UAE Development Team.
This season finally showed that there is a lot of talent even in first year, which suggests a season 2024 just as interesting.
