Veronica Ewers didn’t expect to be fighting for a top-10 overall at the Tour de France Femmes or to have even been racing in the world’s most prestigious stage race. There are a lot of things that surprised the former soccer player in her first season racing on the Women’s WorldTour.
Her trajectory in cycling has spiked so fast that a whirlwind of success has left her feeling like somewhat of an imposter. In an interview with Cyclingnews, Ewers said that it’s taken her nearly the full year and part of the off-season to recognize – and accept – her sheer strength and talent in pro cycling.
“I don’t have as much experience as a lot of other riders in the peloton. And having found such success in my first year, I think just not having the experience and, I guess, questioning my success at times has made me feel that way – wondering whether it’s real or not,” Ewers said from her training camp in California as she heads into her second full season with EF Education-TIBCO-SVB.
Since giving up soccer, a sport she played through college, Ewers has climbed the ranks of professional cycling in one and a half seasons. She first turned heads with a bronze-medal performance at the USA Cycling Pro Road Championships and then earned a last-minute ride to Europe with then-TIBCO-SVB for the last couple of races in 2021.
While racing among the top-tier of the sport, Ewers has shown an uncanny ability to capitalise off of her raw strength while simultaneously learning the required tactical and technical skills needed to excel on a team and in challenging races. She’s a quick study, and she’s also fast to point out the commitment and support she gets from her teammates and staff at EF Education-TIBCO-SVB, all of who are dedicated to her development.
A stand-out year saw Ewers win Navarra Women’s Elite Classics and a stage Ceratizit Festival Elsy Jacobs, where she was second overall. She also finished on the podium at Durango-Durango Emakumeen Saria, Emakumeen Nafarroako Women’s Elite Classics, Tre Valli Varesine Women’s Race, Giro dell’Emilia Internazionale Donne Elite, Giro dell’Emilia Internazionale Donne Elite. She was among the best in the stage races, too, finishing in the top 10 at the Women’s Tour, Itzulia Women and Tour de France Femmes – all WorldTour.
“Honestly, I feel like every day I’m reflecting back on it. It was definitely not expected from myself, or really anyone else, I don’t think, but I think every day I’m using it as motivation to continue to keep the…
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