Our U23 Team ready to race in Normandy

The AG Insurance – Soudal U23 team is heading to the French countryside for the Tour de Normandie, with a strong selection of talented U23 riders. Our team consists of Lore De Schepper, Mirre Knaven, Julia Kopecky, Margot Marasco, Noëlle Rüetschi, and Laura Lizette Sander. These six riders will defend the colors of AG Insurance – over four stages through the beautiful Normandy from March 14 to March 17.

The race kicks off with an individual time trial of 10.3 kilometers in Bagnoles de l’Orne on Thursday, March 14. The next day, a stage from Le Neubourg to Pavilly awaits, a route of 136.8 kilometers that is particularly suited for teams that enjoy racing in windy conditions, with a winding and hilly finale. Saturday takes the riders from Coutances to Martinvast over 137.3 kilometers, a stage that is open to all scenarios. The event concludes with a decisive stage on Sunday from Villers Bocage to Caen, covering a distance of 138.4 kilometers with four categorized climbs, including the gruelling slopes of La Rançonnière with sections of more than 12%.

“Normandy is the first stage race of the year for our U23 female riders. Completing stage races has always been incredibly valuable for these young riders to make progress. I believe we have a strong team that can definitely compete well. It's still hard to estimate whether we can aim for the win, but in a field with 7 World Tour teams, it will certainly be an interesting race for them to see the progress they have made over the winter. For Lore and Margot, this is also their first stage race at the elite level, so it will definitely be a valuable experience. This week promises to be another good learning opportunity," said Servais Knaven.