Australian U23 time trial champion confirms new pro contract, and she may not be the only one with contract news...

Wilson-Haffenden had already won the junior women’s time trial world championship in 2023, and on Monday she did it all over again in the U23 category. “I’m very excited to start riding for Fenix-Premier Tech,” she said in a press release. “I have a lot of respect for the way this team races and believe that the support here provides the right environment for me.”

The 21-year-old Wilson-Haffenden has raced for Lidl-Trek for the past three seasons, where she has made a name for herself, particularly in time trials. This season, she became the Australian time trial champion, and her races against the clock earned her a third-place finish in the Baloise Ladies Tour. Just before the World Time Trial Championships, she finished second in the Chrono Féminin de Gatineau, behind elite world champion Marlen Reusser.

Wilson-Haffenden’s transfer may not be the only incoming transfer for brothers Christoph and Philip Roodhooft, who, of course, also manage the Alpecin-Premier Tech men’s team. There, too, Ryan Gal—a brand-new world champion—is expected to be on the roster for 2027. The Dutchman surprised friends and foes alike on Monday by winning the rainbow jersey at the U23 Men’s Time Trial World Championships.

After that victory, Gal already stated that, in principle, he has a team for 2027. “But maybe some details could still change. That’s something I still need to see and discuss. Unfortunately, I can’t reveal the name yet,” he said cryptically. De Telegraaf, however, claims that the team in question is Alpecin-Premier Tech.

"The Roodhooft brothers have their work cut out for them," Gal unwittingly told them after winning his world title. "There’s a slight delay, but maybe a few small things can still be changed after today. I think I’m entitled to that. But normally, my plans for next year are already set."