Three-year contract for the Glasgow Gold medalist
With a Rainbow Jersey already to her name, Australian Felicity Wilson-Haffenden has her eyes set on the future. The junior time trial World Champion has signed a three-year contract which will see her race in Lidl-Trek colors through 2026. Felicity is the fifth 18-year-old rider to join the American team as it continues to invest in youth development. The Australian started the year in the perfect way, taking her national time trial title before another success at the Oceania Continental Championships, before finishing the triple crown of time trial titles at the World Championships in Glasgow.
“In choosing my first team I felt it was really important to go somewhere that was focused on development, giving me the opportunity to learn and grow as a bike rider and a person,” explained Felicity. “After my first conversation with Koen and Ina I knew Trek was going to be able to do this and so much more. The inclusion of a number of riders coming straight out of junior ranks further confirmed Lidl-Trek was the right team for me, with a great combination of developing talent and experienced role models to connect with, learn from and enjoy my first years in the pro peloton.
“Coming from Australia the racing style is very different compared to Europe. I am keen to develop my tactical skills within the peloton and learn how to negotiate the larger bunches and technical courses. As an individual, I hope to develop as a person, moving across the world and learning how to live and train as a professional. I am also super excited to develop my skills as a time trialist and can’t wait to race on the incredible equipment Trek have and compete on the longer courses!”
“I hope to have a wide range of experiences on and off the bike and absorb as much knowledge as possible from the experienced members of the team. In my first years I hope to develop a strong base for a long career through facing a range of challenges and eventually reach a point where it feels natural to say I am a professional cyclist! I don’t expect the transition to professional ranks will be easy but I know with the guidance and support of Lidl-Trek I have the best network around me to make it successful.
“I am super excited to be joining the fellow Australians at Lidl-Trek as these are riders I have looked up to since I began cycling. To think about riding with them during laps of Bunningyong at road nationals it is hard not to start smiling. I feel incredibly lucky to be joining a team with such a high calibre of riders who I can learn from, it is hard to name a single person I am excited to ride with when there are so many! I am very much looking forward to racing with fellow first year Under 23’s, Izzy, Ava and Isabella as I believe we will be able to form great relationships as we grow in the team together.”
Lidl-Trek Sports Director Ina-Yoko Teutenberg added, “Felicity is a rider with great potential and I’m excited to see her put in the work to achieve it. Felicity has a natural talent and strong drive, and at Lidl-Trek she will have the opportunity to use the vast expertise within the team and its sponsors to take her performance to the next level. Moving across the world at such a young age is a daunting prospect, but we have role models who have undertaken the same move, like Lauretta and Brodie, as well as a host of other young riders going through a similar process, which will hopefully ease the transition as Felicity settles into life as a professional.”
