Nexetis, a Swiss road cycling team for women, will appear on the scene from the 2025 season. The aim: to take young female athletes to the next level.
25.11.2024, 17:15
SDA
The special thing about this new UCI team at the third highest level is that it is a development vehicle launched by Swiss Cycling. Thomas Peter, Managing Director of the national federation, emphasized at the team presentation in Zurich: "There is currently no vehicle in which our up-and-coming female road riders can develop, no team that promotes Swiss women.
The step abroad after their time as juniors is clearly too big for most of the talents. "That's why we are now filling this gap with Nexetis," says Peter. The association is not making a big splash, but was able to introduce two well-known Swiss companies in the cycling scene as sponsors at the presentation.
Nexetis is not intended for riders of the caliber of Marlen Reusser. It's for up-and-coming riders like Jasmin Liechti, who won silver in the U23 category at the Road World Championships in Zurich two months ago and is now on board. "Nexetis gives me space and time to focus on my development," says the athlete from Burgdorf, explaining the main reason for signing with the Swiss team - she also had other offers on the table.
With national coach Edi Telser, a recognized coach is also integrated into the project on a part-time basis. As head of sport, he is responsible for coordinating with the riders and will occasionally act as sporting director. The squad currently comprises eleven athletes from three nations, with Anna Wiese from Poland acting as team manager. "We are starting at the third-highest level with the UCI Continental Team and want to work our way up from there," says the long-standing Swiss national mountain bike coach from South Tyrol, who is employed by Swiss Cycling as women's head coach.
