Canyon-SRAM completes its 2023 roster, promotes two from development squad

This article originally appeared on Velo News

Canyon-SRAM has completed its roster for the 2023 season with the promotion of Ricarda Bauernfeind and Antonia Niedermaier from its development squad.

Canyon-SRAM Generation was launched for the 2022 season and became the first official development squad of a Women's WorldTour team.

Bauernfeind and Niedermaier were the team's top performers, racking up seven victories between them. Niedermaier had a strong end to the season, winning two stages of the Tour de l'Ardeche and the overall classification, while Bauernfeind took the U23 German TT and road race titles and finished on the podium of the inaugural U23 worlds category in both disciplines.

“We are proud that in the first year of existence of Canyon-SRAM Generation, the riders have developed from being competitive in national competition races into world-class athletes," team manager Ronny Lauke said.

"Leaving a footprint in races from the early part of the season, being on the podium and winning in UCI categorized events regularly in the second part of the season, and earning medals at UCI Road World Championships, proves this step is relevant and necessary for further growth of individual athletes as well as the growth of the sport.”

Also read:

• Neve Bradbury on being one of cycling's rising stars, racing against idol Annemiek van Vleuten

• Former Paris-Roubaix winner Magnus Backstedt joins Canyon-SRAM as sport director

• Chloe Dygert calls time on 2022 season after surgery and Epstein-Barr setbacks

Bauernfeind and Niedermaier are the last official signings for the squad with the 15th and final place on the squad reserved for the winner of the Zwift Academy. The team has given a place to the Zwift Academy winner since 2016, and this year will see the seventh rider join the squad.

Last year's winner Maud Oudeman will not be on the roster for 2023 and has not announced a new team, while 2020 winner Neve Bradbury stays on for at least two more seasons after signing a new contract with the squad. 2018 Zwift Academy winner Ella Harris is moving on after four years with the team after signing with Le Col Wahoo.

The team's key performers Kasia Niewiadoma, Elisa Chabbey, and Pauliena Rooijakkers remain. Meanwhile, American Chloe Dygert is still on the squad after signing a four-year deal with the team ahead of the 2021 season.

Dygert has only raced once for the team since then, at this year's Omloop Het Niewsblad, as she recovers from a leg injury and a bout with the Epstein Barr virus.

Canyon-SRAM has been busy during this off-season, with six riders leaving the squad and another half a dozen coming in. It has also signed a new sport director in former Paris-Roubaix winner Magnus Backstedt.

In addition to Oudeman and Harris departing, Alena Amialiusik -- who has been with the team since it began in 2016 -- is heading to UAE Team ADQ along with Mikayla Harvey. Lisa Klein is going to Trek-Segafredo, and Alice Barnes is moving on to Human Powered Health.

Other riders joining Canyon-SRAM this year are British national champion Alice Towers, who penned a three-year contract with the team, rising track and road star Maike van der Duin, and Giro Toscana and Lotto Belgium Tour winner Agnieszka Skalniak-Sojka.

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