AG Insurance - Soudal welcomes Urska Zigart

AG Insurance - Soudal welcomes Urska Zigart

AG Insurance - Soudal is proud to welcome Urska to the team. From her first steps on a stationary bike to conquering the toughest mountains, Urska has had an impressive journey. Read on to learn more about her story and her ambitions for the upcoming season.
My passion for cycling developed gradually. When I was younger, I participated in many different sports, such as track and field, volleyball, and running. Later, I started cycling on a stationary bike—you know, the one your mom buys and never uses—while studying for school, and eventually, I began to really enjoy it. My parents then bought me a road bike, and I fell in love with it right away. The following year, I joined a team in Slovenia, but I had to learn everything because riding a bike is quite different from racing. But slowly, I started to fall in love with racing as well.

During the season, I'm definitely a pasta lover, so I have no problem eating that to fuel my rides. I also enjoy pancakes or crepes, the thin ones we make in Slovenia, or a nice creamy Italian gelato for dessert.
Besides cycling, I have other hobbies and passions that I enjoy in my free time. When I was young, I went to music school—seven years, to be exact—so I still enjoy playing the piano or guitar. It’s hard to find time for it, but I try to keep up with it, so I don’t lose all the technique. Sometimes I also like to sing along. I also love cooking and baking, and I enjoy watching a good TV series or movie on the couch.

As for favorite destinations for training or vacation, I really enjoy the routes around the Côte d’Azur, where I’ve lived for the past five years, but I equally love the diversity of terrain where I grew up in Slovenia. Of the other places I’ve visited with my bike, I really liked the Tuscany and Perugia regions of Italy, as well as Scotland. For vacations, I’d enjoy something exotic and warm, but I also love going to the snow in winter. It’s difficult to choose a favorite, but from all the holiday destinations I’ve visited so far, Bali comes to mind for relaxation, and the Dolomites for skiing. Maybe I can top these two vacation spots this year. :)
I don’t have any specific rituals, but I prefer to avoid wearing new things at a race. Or I stomp out the bad luck. But ideally, I prefer to wear or at least wash everything before using it for a race. I like to listen to music on the bus while preparing for a race and just have a good time with my teammates. Happy mind, fast legs… usually works.

As for my favorite music or artist to listen to during training or traveling, that’s a tough one because I really enjoy a wide range of genres and artists. During training, I like something upbeat, especially for intervals, but during travel, it can be anything, depending on my mood. If I had to pick an artist, it would probably be Adele, but then you might be surprised when the next song on shuffle is some old-school 90s rap.
What attracted me to join AG Insurance - Soudal was that I only ever heard good things about the team, and when they reached out to me, I was immediately interested in hearing what they had to say. I was quickly drawn to their vision and how they saw me fitting into the team. It was clear that they had a strong idea of how I would fit in both as a rider and as a person.

Within the team, I feel like I am still learning, even though I have quite a bit of experience in the WorldTour peloton. This year, however, I realized that I’m not the youngest anymore. So, in that sense, I hope to pass on some knowledge to the younger riders while also remaining open to learning from everyone. In terms of racing, I’m quite a versatile rider, but I certainly excel in climbing. That’s where I can offer strong support, and sometimes, I might even try to play a role in the finale.

My personal goals for the 2025 season are to continue improving in every aspect, just as I have in the past few years, and to keep this upward trajectory. I’ve shown that I can be close to the best in hard climbing races, so I really want to explore that and see how far I can go when the opportunity arises.

Based on the conversations I’ve had, I think I can grow here in every way. I especially want to improve on hilly terrains and continue working on my time trial skills. In the team, I can’t overlook the experience of Ashleigh in riding GC in big stage races. I hope to learn from her as well and lend a helping hand (or leg :)) whenever I can.

It’s been four years since my last team change, and I have to admit, I’ve grown very comfortable at Greenedge, and I really felt at home there. It was hard to think about changing, because change brings new people, new relationships, new equipment, and new challenges. But change can also bring growth, and from everything I’ve heard about the team, I feel calm, confident, and ready to meet everyone soon.