Kate Courtney Adapts to WorldTour Racing with FDJ United-Suez

Kate Courtney's road cycling adventure continued at the Tour of Britain Women, where the American racer got her first taste of Women's WorldTour racing at the five-day event. Already a multidisciplinary star, with two mountain bike world titles and several major gravel wins, she added the American road title to her achievements earlier this summer before joining FDJ United-SUEZ in early July.

Courtney swiftly began working with the French squad, competing in a pair of French one-day races. Regarding her adjustment, she stated, "It's a huge step-up and a lot to learn, but there's no better place to do it," during an interview with Cyclingnews in Clitheroe ahead of stage 2 of the Tour of Britain Women.

Reflecting on the opener in Cockermouth, where FDJ placed three riders in the front group, she said, "It was great! I think it was definitely a hectic day in the bunch." The challenging conditions, including wind and tight roads, provided an excellent opportunity for learning and improving her positioning.

Transitioning between off-road and road racing can be quite different; however, Courtney has adapted well. She finished in the top 15 at the French races, La Périgord Ladies and Le Picto en Nouvelle-Aquitane, and secured a position among the top 30 in the opening days in Britain.

Joining a Women's WorldTour team like FDJ presented a more extensive and complex structure compared to her experiences in mountain biking and gravel racing. Team directeur sportif Lars Boom remarked about her background, stating, "In mountain biking, you have only like two or three riders as women in a team, and she was really the big leader in the last few years."

He expressed hope that she would eventually grow into a prominent role within the team, acknowledging her existing knowledge about training and preparation. Boom emphasized that Courtney is a professional, and learning during races is part of her development.

He noted that adjusting to riding in a large peloton represents a challenge but mentioned, "She's doing well" amid the "quite hectic" nature of the peloton in Britain, where she supported reigning champion Ally Wollaston. "Every day she's well-positioned and doing a good job," Boom added, while Courtney described her integration experience as "unique."

"The team is amazing, and it's been really unique to get to start racing as a team and playing team tactics. I'm excited to see what we can do," she said.

Expectations for Courtney remain high, although Boom indicated that this time is primarily for learning and adapting. He remarked, "For the moment we don't expect too much. Not 'not too much' – I mean we expect a lot, but we let her do her thing. She can make mistakes; she just needs to do what her instincts tell her to do in the race, and then it will be fine."