How women’s cycling teams are fighting for parity
By Robert Thorpe & Kristi Kuldkepp
A few years ago, I was contacted by a group who’d been trying to put together a Crit race event in the local district. They asked if I’d be willing to take the lead, due my apparent organisational skills. However, on questioning them, once I’d seen their initial plan, I asked why they weren’t looking to put on a women’s elite race too, as part of the programme. They responded by simply saying that ‘we don’t believe that there’s sufficient interest.’ I responded by saying that the issue probably lay in their failure to correctly identify how to market the event idea to women’s cycling clubs and others. Accordingly, I turned down the request to help them. No races subsequently took place… of any kind.
Am I sad that the result was no racing at all? No, I’m not. I’m glad that I took a stand in support of women’s sport and the necessity of a level playing field. My older sister was a county champion runner and national standard. Far better than me, and yet I grew up with more opportunities to keep running after school. It has stayed with me into adulthood and through life, that women deserve better and that they deserve to get parity with men in sport – at all levels.
Let’s be clear, whilst we can send rockets into orbit and bring them back; and, we have smart phones that can control household devices from afar, we’ve only just managed to get women’s grand tour races that look something like the men’s equivalent. If we consider that this is at World Tour level, imagine then, how difficult it is as women cyclists try to climb the pro cycling ladder, from local and regional teams and onwards to Continental and Pro team levels, as they develop riders for the future women’s world tour peloton.
UCI changes and team financing
It was only in recent years that the UCI took steps to develop women’s cycling progression, through a new tiered system: Continental, Pro and World Tour level team structure. Their development plan also gave advice on creating events and supporting women’s teams. Consider that, for many at even Pro team level, the wages are such that they must work elsewhere, simply to be able to live. This is while men’s Pro level teams have wages that could support several women’s teams. Interestingly, this cost increase within men’s cycling has benefitted the women’s tour, as sponsors are slowly realising the financial benefits of supporting a women’s team, as a viable alternative to trying to keep up with the utterly ridiculous funding that is now required at men’s Pro team level.
Going Continental – the Baloise Minimax WB Ladies team
The Baloise Minimax WB Ladies team is a women’s cycling team from Belgium, competing at the club level for the past 5 years. Thankfully, after years of trying, through seeking sponsorship, brand support and their own hard work, they’ve just been accepted at UCI Women’s Continental team level; meaning that, instead of racing club and district events, from 2026, this inspiring young team filled with talented athletes will be travelling further afield and taking their bikes onto the long road towards pro level riding.
We wanted to follow their amazing progression, and to highlight their achievement, as a means of highlighting the wider issues still being faced by women’s cycling, as it continues to race towards greater parity with the men’s scene. Part of that journey is now possible, due to UCI changes that encourage more women’s races, and more women’s team invites in ‘next level’ races. This seemingly small change that occurred in 2023, will give the new Baloise Minimax WB Ladies Continental team, the opportunity to race in some international Pro level events from 2026, alongside their new Continental calendar. Founded in 2021, the team is the first all-female team in the cycling-mad region of Wallonia and is fast becoming an inspirational beacon to young women cyclists.
Their stated mission is to promote women’s cycling, by offering riders professional coaching and the opportunity to participate in numerous national and international competitions. Their organization’s goal is also to train young women, with the aim of taking them to the highest level – to the pro peloton. It’s time then to take a closer look at the team structure, the names and faces behind this exciting journey, and how they’ve achieved so much in a short space of time. They’re an example of what can be achieved and an inspirational group of professionals, dedicated to levelling the field, so that women athletes can have the same goals as men within cycling. It’s not about breaking the glass ceiling – the women of the Baloise Minimax WB Ladies team have set out to smash it into tiny fragments!
The journey so far
Originally, Baloise Minimax WB Ladies team focused on coaching athletes in the U23/elite categories; whilst over the years, with hard work and constant focus on the future, a clear and robust development-oriented structure has taken shape. In 2022, the junior (U19) category was added to the project, closely followed by the cadet (U17) team in 2023. In just five short years, the team has created a unique development pathway for young female cyclists, from the U17 category all the way to UCI Continental level, with the opportunity for riders to perform on wider platform.
The team has gone through several major and difficult moments – for example, in 2023, one of the team’s strongest riders, Nathalie Säfsten, was involved in a serious car accident during a training camp in Spain. She was in a coma for quite some time and has since lost her ability to walk. She is true fighter and has not given up. Every day, Nathalie works hard with the hope of one day getting back on the bike. She is officially a member of the Baloise Minimax WB Ladies team and entire team is fighting for Nathalie! #fightlikenathalie . Her spirit and strength are an inspiration, and her determination to beat her current circumstances, typifies the fighting spirit and willpower of many women athletes, seeking to show that women’s cycling at pro level, can and will succeed.
Adapting to a new challenge
The transition to a higher level of racing and the international scene, opens the door to Baloise Minimax WB Ladies to a more demanding race calendar, an increased international presence and greater visibility for the team partners. The team will take part in more high-level competitions, several of which will be broadcast on television – providing significant media exposure for the sponsors both in Belgium and internationally. Thankfully, women’s cycling is finally getting the media exposure that it deserves and is proving popular with fans across the cycling world. The team already draws in riders from across Europe, such as Nathalie (Sweden), and me – Kristi (Estonian) – alongside many others. And, importantly, behind the scenes, we have a terrific support team, ensuring that we race as one – a leading lady cycling team, ready to take on the world!
Meet the team
Leading the management element of the team is the inspirational figure, Luc Mayne – the project’s original founder, who remains the chairman of the board to this day. He is a well-known figure in Wallonia cycling races, and has superb connections, that continue to benefit the team. Although he was quite a good athlete in his youth, he came to cycling somewhat by chance. He started as a volunteer rider at Velo Club d’Ottignies and later became the general manager of the renowned semi-professional men’s team Veran Classic-Ago, before starting the current women’s team project.
The Baloise Minimax WB Ladies director is Ludivine Henrion; again, a well-respected member of the Belgium cycling community. Ludivine is a Belgian road cyclist and 2 times Belgium road race champion in 2007 and 2009. She also won the bronze medal in the road race at the 2006 World University Cycling Championships, finishing behind Ellen van Dijk and Eva Lutz. She competed in the women’s road race at 2012 Summer Olympics and brings an invaluable wealth of experience to the young riders.
At the sharp end of the management process, the Sports Directors are Eleonore Maeck and Yuri Feijtel, assisted by Robin Ernst as a team coach. Of course, we can’t forget our invaluable mechanics (Adrien Eloy, Loris Michel, Jean-Pierre Trisman) and soigneurs (Stephane Decamp and Roland Lefevre), without whom this team wouldn’t be what is it today – a cycling team that’s taking huge steps forward and being noticed for the right reasons.
The Baloise Minimax WB Ladies team is a very international group of riders, with members from a whole range of cycling nations: Belgium, Canada, Switzerland, France, the Czech Republic, Portugal, Poland, Estonia, Finland, Ukraine and Norway. Myself, as mentioned earlier; I’m from the Baltic nation of Estonia, regarded as one of the most environmentally friendly countries in the world – something I’m proud of.
An exciting future for women’s cycling
Women’s professional cycling is entering a transformative era – one marked by rapid growth, increased visibility and long-overdue investments. With the introduction of tiered team structures by the UCI (Continental, Pro and World Tour) creating a realistic pathway for aspiring female cyclists that hadn’t existed before. The future has never been clearer or more promising, and these are exciting times for us as women within cycle sport! These structural changes not only provide a framework for talent development but also greater professionalism across all levels of the sport.
There’s a significant shift occurring in race calendars too. Women’s events are gaining prominence alongside their male counterparts, with major races such as the Tour de France Femmes, Paris Roubaix Femmes and Strade Bianche Donne receiving global broadcast coverage and large audiences – at the race and on tv. This increased visibility is attracting new sponsors, fans and media attention – all of which are critical to building a sustainable future for women’s cycling. It’s been a long road, with too many hills to climb! However, we’re finally showing that we women have a right for parity in the pro peloton ranks.
Riding a women’s cycling revolution
At the team level, growing support means more equitable salaries, access to professional coaching, nutrition and medical support – essentials long taken for granted in the men’s peloton. While disparities still exist, momentum is clearly building and it’s exciting to be a part of this. In many regions, grassroots initiatives and clubs are now focusing specifically on developing female talent from junior levels upwards, creating a stronger pipeline for the next generation of champions. Crucially, the narrative around women’s cycling is changing too. No longer treated as an afterthought, it is increasingly being recognised as a vibrant, competitive and commercially viable arm of the sport.
With more elite-level opportunities, improved race coverage and an expanding global fan base, the future of women’s cycling looks not only exciting – but unstoppable. I’ll be going along for the ride – so join me and the women of Baloise Minimax WB Ladies team, as we help to create the women’s cycling revolution!
