Wnt-rotor Pro Cycling Team

No. of riders: 11 Under 26: 7 Over 35: 0 Key stat: The team won a stage on its first appearance as a fledgling UCI registered squad at the UCI 2.2 ranked Setmana Ciclista Valenciana How was the off-season? Entering into its second year as a Uci-registered women’s team, WNT has joined up with Rotor, with riders running its Uno hydraulic disc groupset. Notable departures include GB track riders Katie Archibald and Emily Kay but the team gained under-23 national road race champion Melissa Lowther.

Biggest challenge The team will once again race the Ovo Energy Women’s Tour. In 2017, they finished 13th overall, with the highest placed GC rider Katie Archibald in 18th; they’ll be keen to repeat some of the success they have had in Europe at this home race in 2018. Woman on the spot Melissa Lowther was under-23 British road race champion in 2017 and, signing with WNT, makes the move into professional cycling. The 21-year-old has been part of the Great Britain Senior Academy for two years, and joins Wnt-rotor from Breeze — she’ll represent Team England at the Commonwealth Games along with fellow team rider Hayley Simmonds.

Ones to watch The youngest rider on the team is 18-year-old German junior time trial champion Lea Lin Teutenberg. Niece of former Tour of Flanders and Giro Rosa stage winner Ina-yoko Teutenberg, she’s got a big reputation to live up to. Hayley Simmonds now moves into her third year as a professional cyclist; following a stage win and third overall placing at the Lotto Thüringen Ladies Tour in 2017, the 29-year-old moves into the position of being a more senior rider on the squad.