UAE Team ADQ

UAE Team ADQ has gone through several incarnations in the 12 years since its inception, starting out as an Italian Continental team, to now being a United Arab Emirates-registered WorldTour outfit. 

The team has had an impressive list of riders pass through its ranks, including Nicole Cooke, Chloe Hosking and most recently Mavi García. One of its veteran riders is Marta Bastianelli who is in her ninth season with the team, but her third stint since they started, having spent some seasons on other teams. 

Since being taken over by the powers behind the UAE Team Emirates men’s team, the team has strengthened its roster with the arrival of several riders from Valcar Travel & Service, which has now become the team’s official development squad. The team has a host of sprint options, including Bastianelli  until her retirement this year, but also Chiara Consonni, Eleonora Gasparrini and Sofia Bertizzolo. For the Classics and stage races, Silvia Persico is their secret weapon, possessing the golden combination of good climbing and good sprinting. 

The team has already won some of the biggest races in the sport, but will be hoping to add more to their tally in their new UAE-backed era.

Chiara Consonni

Silvia Persico

Olivia Baril

Marta Bastianelli

Eleonora Gasparrini

Erica Magnaldi

Sofia Bertizzolo

Eugenia Bujak

Alena Ivanchenko

Laura Tomasi

Safia Al Sayegh

Karolina Kumiega

Alena Amialiusik

Elizabeth Holden

Mikayla Harvey

Anna Trevisi

Tech

Features

Tech Features

2024 Women’s WorldTour bikes, wheels and groupsets: A complete guide

With 28 events spread across 82 days of racing, the 

 is set to deliver another blockbuster year of racing in 2024. 

As is usual when a new season begins, there will be a period of acclimatisation as fans get used to the changes in kits, riders and, in some instances, bikes too. While most teams are tied into long-term partnerships with their brands and will be sticking with the same bikes for 2024, there are a few who will be sporting new equipment.

To help, we've pulled together this complete guide to the bikes, groupsets, wheels and tyres every Women’s WorldTour team will be using during the 2024 season. 

2024 Men's WorldTour bikes: A guide to the bikes, groupsets, and tech of the top-tier teams

Factor on the move, Specialized here to stay

The start of a new season can be a confusing time for fans. There are new names and kits to get used to, not to mention all of the rider transfers to remember. There will also be new teams on the WorldTour roster in 2024, with 

 being awarded the two free WorldTour licences. Those spots became free following the closure of the EF Education-TIBCO-SVB team and the merger between Jayco-AlUla and Liv Racing TeqFind to form 

Things are much simpler in the world of bike tech where, barring the odd change, most things stay the same season-to-season. 2024 is no different and the majority of teams will be using the same bikes and equipment as they did in 2023.

 whose all-conquering exploits in 2023 bagged them an incredible 40 WorldTour wins. At the end of the season they topped the UCI rankings, finishing over 10,000 points clear of second-placed Lidl-Trek. Those victories and points were delivered atop 

 bikes and they’ll be linking up for plenty more wins over the coming season, having extended their partnership with the American brand until the end of 2028.

Only two team has swapped bike brands for the 2024 season, with 

Human Powered Health agreeing a three-year deal with Factor

, bringing to an end their five-year partnership with Felt. Roland Cycling, meanwhile, will step off their 

, which marks a historic moment as the Italian brand is used by a Women's WorldTeam 

Elsewhere, Liv will only sponsor one team after Jayco-AlUla and Liv Racing TeqFind - both of whom it sponsored in 2023 - merged to form Liv AlUla Jayco.

 is the most popular brand in the Women’s WorldTour, used by three different teams: Canyon-SRAM, Fenix-Deceuninck and Movistar. Specialized follows closely behind with two teams, along with the aforementioned Factor. 

 is a new addition to the list for 2024 following Ceratizit-WNT's step up to the highest tier.

Which bikes won the most races in the 2023 Women’s WorldTour?

Shimano edges SRAM, Campagnolo absent from Women’s WorldTour

 dominates the men’s WorldTour, but in the women’s peloton there’s a slightly more even split with 

, although the Japanese brand still enjoys the slight upper hand.

It currently sponsors nine of the 15 Women's WorldTour teams, while SRAM lays claim to the remaining six. 

 will once again be absent from the Women’s WorldTour in 2024. That’s indicative of its wider woes in elite cycling and the historic Italian brand will also be absent from the men's WorldTour peloton after 

While it loses out on the numbers stake, SRAM currently sponsors SD Worx who won virtually everything in 2023. That’s a slight exaggeration as Movistar halted that progress at two of the three Grand Tours, but the Spanish outfit also uses SRAM components, as do Lidl-Trek who finished second in the UCI rankings in 2023.

UAE Team Emirates and SD Worx top UCI world rankings

Fresh off the back of their most successful season to date, 

 are stepping up to WorldTour level in 2024. The team’s tally of seven wins in 2023, or 10 if you include National Championships, were taken atop the Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7 and S-Works Shiv TT bikes. Since they last triumphed in June, the team has moved over to the new Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL8 which they’ll hope will propel their star riders, including 

Stiffer, lighter, more aerodynamic – Specialized launches new Tarmac SL8

Canyon-SRAM and - no points for guessing this one - their Canyon bikes teamed up to claim three WorldTour wins in 2023. Two of those were stage wins at Grand Tours, but their biggest victory arguably came after the road season when 

 was crowned the gravel world champion atop the then-unreleased 

. Just as unsurprisingly, the team uses the SRAM Red groupset along with 

All-new Canyon Grail gains in-frame storage and seamless bar integration

 wasn’t present in the Women’s WorldTour in 2023 but that will change in 2024 with 

 making the jump from the Continental ranks.

Willing to buck common trends, the Spanish brand 

launched its latest Orca climbing bike in 2023

. Purely built to be lightweight, it wasn’t accompanied by any aero claims - a rarity in modern cycling. It made its racing debut at the Tour de France Femmes where Ceratizit-WNT’s 

 won the best young rider’s white jersey.

Pro bike: Kathrin Schweinberger’s Orbea Orca

 to SD Worx, who claimed the majority of their wins in 2022. If that left question marks over the team’s winning potential, they were quickly answered by 

 Foil to devastating effect. By the end of the season, the flying Dutchwoman had 13 wins and she’ll be hoping to take many more in 2024, once again atop Scott’s bikes.

In the world of cycling tech, the biggest surprise of the off-season came when

 and Groupama-FDJ ended their 22-year collaboration. That doesn’t extend to the 

 who are also supported by FDJ, as they will continue to use the French brand’s bikes in 2024. Their riders will use the Xelius SL, which will be paired with Shimano’s Dura-Ace groupset and wheels.

Lapierre and Groupama-FDJ split after 22 years of collaboration

’s upwards trajectory continued in 2023 as the team made the step up to WorldTour level, along with their Canyon bikes. 

’s stage victory at the Tour de France Femmes was the pinnacle of the team’s year on the road, but it was an equally seismic moment for Canyon who shared a clean sweep of stage wins at the French Grand Tour with Specialized. By the end of the race, both brands had four stage wins apiece, although Specialized also claimed the overall yellow jersey through Demi Vollering.

Fenix-Deceuninck Team Talk: Few wins but promising signs for WorldTour debutants

It’s was a hectic year in 2023 for the 

 umbrella whose men’s team folded. Things are more stable for the women’s team which continues in 2024, although they've done so atop Factor bikes having ended their long five-year partnership with 

. The American outfit will get to choose between the 

released in 2023 with claims that it’s “the world’s lightest climbing bike”

. The team will also make the switch to Black Inc wheels for 2024.

Human Powered Health switch to Factor bikes for 2024

With one of the strongest rosters in the WorldTour, 

 are a powerhouse of women’s cycling, although they struggled to convert that into WorldTour wins in 2023 against the might of SD Worx. Their six WorldTour wins isn’t too shabby, but they’ll hope to take more in 2024 atop their 

 and Madone which have both been around for a while, although they’ve adapted over the years. Most recently the Madone has undergone a makeover, leading to a hole in its seat tube that helps it to stand out from the WorldTour crowd. 

Pro bike: Elisa Longo Borghini’s Trek Émonda SLR

Mergers between teams can be chaotic, especially when there are conflicting brands to accommodate. Of course, a team can only have one bike sponsor, so one brand usually loses out. Things were much simpler in the merger between Jayco AlUla and Liv Racing TeqFind who both rode 

 bikes in 2023, and the Giant-owned brand will continue to serve the newly merged Liv AlUla Jayco outfit.

Liv is the only women-specific bike brand in the pro peloton, with the team choosing between the Langma Advanced and EnviLiv advanced bikes for road stages, and the Avow Advanced for time trials.

 Liv Langma Advanced and EnviLiv Advanced

Racing

Analysis

UAE Team ADQ Team Talk: Reaping the rewards of new development pathway

The inaugural UAE Tour Women saw the home team finish third on GC through Silvia Persico, and take the overall team classification

, the team formerly known as Alé BTC Ljubljana rose from seventh in the 

 up to fourth by the end of 2023. This move is indicative of the improvements that were made by the team this season, no doubt aided by the dissolution of Valcar-Travel & Service at the end of 2022. 

The Italian Continental side closed over the winter and transitioned into 

, with five riders making the move straight to UAE Team ADQ's WorldTour squad: 

Over half of the team's victories this year were taken by the new signings, as UAE Team ADQ notched up a series of notable victories, including their first Grand Tour stage under their new moniker. 

Turning their attention to 2024, the team will hope to see some of their younger riders progress further and the team's victory tally rise, but 2023 was another good step forward for team boss Melissa Moncada's squad. 

With the new additions from Valcar-Travel & Service, alongside those of 

 (both from Canyon-SRAM), the Emirati WorldTeam went a long way in replacing the firepower lost with the departure of 

Taking a bolstered squad into the 2023 campaign, UAE Team ADQ picked up 13 victories throughout the course of the season, which for any team other than the imperious SD Worx, is a commendable haul. 

SD Worx Team Talk: How can the dominant force in women's cycling get any better?

This number may be down on the team's 17 victories from 2022, but five of those were taken at National Championships and this year's victories were arguably taken in more prestigious races. 

The year started brightly for UAE Team ADQ and new signing Persico, who was the best of the rest on Jebel Hafeet's summit finish at the UAE Tour Women, behind Trek-Segafredo's 

With this being the inaugural edition of the UAE Tour Women, it was always going to be an important target for the UAE's first WorldTeam, and the squad duly delivered - with Persico finishing third on GC and the team winning the team classification. 

After having been a flagship rider for the team in its various guises since 2016, the expected retirement of 

 at the end of the 2022 season seemed like it would be inevitably a big loss for UAE Team ADQ. It was a welcome sight, however, to see Bastianelli postpone her retirement until the end of the 2023 Giro d'Italia Donne. The former world champion wasted no time in showing that her determination had not waned, picking up the team's first victory of the season at Les Samyn des Dames in February as they kicked off a successful Spring.

Silvia Persico sprinted to victory ahead of Demi Vollering (SD Worx) and Liane Lippert (Movistar) at De Brabantse Pijl, a result that seemed imminent after she took sixth place at Trofeo Alfredo Binda and fourth place at the Tour of Flanders. Two top-10s followed at Amstel Gold and Liège-Bastogne-Liège as Persico rounded off a very impressive Spring campaign. 

In the weeks prior, Consonni finished second at Dwars door Vlaanderen and Bastianelli placed third at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, with both riders only missing out on the win in the face of remarkable performances from SD Worx. Consonni's quick finish delivered her to the win at Trofee Maarten Wynants in May, but it was in the stage races that UAE Team ADQ flourished for the rest of the season.

Bastianelli had kicked things off by winning stage 1 of the Ceratizit Festival Elsy Jacobs, before Gasparrini opened up her account with her new team with victory on stage 3 at the Tour de Suisse. The 21-year-old's win was the team's first in a WorldTour race, but they would not wait long to add to that tally. 

Ever the reliable sprinter when well positioned, Consonni handed UAE Team ADQ their biggest win of the season on stage 9 of the Giro d'Italia Donne. In pipping Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) and Ally Wollaston (AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step) to the line in Olbia, Consonni picked up the first Grand Tour stage win since the team became Emirati. 

Five of the team's eight winners this season were new signings for 2023, the last of whom was the Canadian Baril, who came up trumps at the Tour Féminin de l'Ardèche to take a one-two alongside teammate Erica Magnaldi on the final stage. Magnaldi's performance secured her second overall to mark another consistent season for the Italian climber. 

The French stage race may have been Magnaldi's best result on paper in 2023, but she will be most pleased with fifth place at the Giro d'Italia Donne. 

As with Magnaldi, it wasn't all about the new signings for UAE Team ADQ this season. 26-year-old climber Sofia Bertizzolo was quiet for much of the first half of the year, but picked up a series of top-10s in the final months of the season and managed to win both stage 1 and the points classification at the Tour de Romandie Féminin in September. 

With an emphasis on sprinters and puncheurs within their squad, it is perhaps not a surprise that UAE Team ADQ did not pull up too many trees in terms of general classification victories this season. 

The Emirati squad had to wait until the final WorldTour stage race of the season to pick up their first overall victory, with Consonni finishing fourth, third and first in the three stages of the Tour of Chongming Island. Her consistency earned her both the overall title and the points classification come the end of the race.  

A dependable, if not spectacular, season for UAE Team ADQ is perhaps in line with their expectations as they slowly build under the new team structure. 

UAE Team ADQ's Top Five in 2023

Having preempted the moment since the midway point of the 2022 campaign, UAE Team ADQ enjoyed plenty of time to prepare for the retirement of veteran Marta Bastianelli. Having postponed her farewell this time last year, the Italian finally pulled the curtain down on a fine career at the Giro d'Italia Donne.

With Chiara Consonni having arrived from Valcar-Travel & Service over the winter, the team have been able to benefit from a classic master/apprentice situation, with Consonni the undisputed heir to Bastianelli's throne. Both are similar riders and the former has already more than demonstrated her ability to lead the team in Bastianelli's absence. 

For that reason, it feels the time is right for Bastianelli to draw the curtain down on her third and final spell with the team.

Elsewhere, the biggest loss for the team will be felt in the form of Olivia Baril's departure to Movistar. The Canadian had made quite a name for herself with her performances in her first season with UAE Team ADQ. Nevertheless, it should be remembered that Baril was a diamond in the rough when she made the step up to WorldTour level, and UAE Team ADQ will hope to have a similarly positive impression on new recruit Dominika Włodarczyk. The 22-year-old joins from MAT Atom Deweloper Wrocław and looks to have the making of an impressive climber. 

Joining the Polish rider in bolstering UAE Team ADQ's ranks will be Tereza Neumanova (Liv Racing TeqFind) and Karlijn Swinkels (Jumbo-Visma), the latter of whom looks to be quite the well-rounded GC talent. 

Where UAE Team ADQ's wins will come in 2024 

Swinkels may hit the ground running and prove herself in some of the early season stage races, but the majority of the victories for UAE Team ADQ will come from within their existing roster.

Consonni is the headline act and, at 24 years of age, is ripe to make the step up and fill Bastianelli's role as the team's flagship rider. The sprinting division within the Women's WorldTour peloton is largely run by Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx) and Charlotte Kool (dsm-firmenich), but Consonni should be mopping up at races these two don't feature in. 

Meanwhile, eyes will turn to Persico, Bertizzolo and Magnaldi to chip in with regular victories and good results, all of whom can realistically target stage wins in the Grand Tours. For Persico in particular, 2024 will be an important season, given her steady rise to becoming one of the peloton's strongest climbers. 

Four top-10s in the Giro d'Italia Donne this year accompanied an eighth-place finish overall, and there is certainly a sense she can improve on this standing, alongside those of 12th at La Vuelta Femenina and 14th at the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. 

Although the likes of Persico, Bastianelli and Consonni took much of the plaudits for UAE Team ADQ in 2023, one rider who enjoyed a consistent season was the young Eleonora Camilla Gasparrini. At just 21 years of age, 2023 was only her third season in the pro ranks, but she proved more than at home alongside the world's best.

Her best spell of form came earlier in the campaign, with impressive rides at Ceratizit Festival Elsy Jacobs, RideLondon Classique and Tour de Suisse peaking with a stage victory in the latter. 

The Italian is a strong climber but also packs a handy sprint, as seen in the Tour de Suisse. Improving year on year thus far in the peloton, Gasparrini should be a good bet to at least pick up a victory or two in 2024, whilst further establishing herself in stage races. 

How do you think UAE Team ADQ will fare without Marta Bastianelli and Olivia Baril next season? Can they become one of the Women's WorldTour's best three teams? Let us know in the comments below! 

News

Round-ups

News Round-ups

News Round-up: Remco Evenepoel honoured with mural in Vuelta a España start town

Remco Evenepoel poses for a photo with artist Artes Prada

Remco Evenepoel honoured with mural in Vuelta a España start town

On arriving into La Bañeza, the relatively unassuming start town of 

, one thing stands out. This small town near León is adorned by street art, murals and intricate graffiti, with impressive artwork covering almost every exposed wall you see.

With over 200 artworks throughout the town, La Bañeza has twice been home to the mural voted the best in the world, and whilst the main attraction on Friday was the Vuelta’s visit, street art wasn’t far from the event.

That’s because local artist Artes Prada added a special new work to the town’s ever-growing gallery: a portrait of 2022 Vuelta champion and three-time stage winner in this year’s race, 

The painting was unveiled before the start of the stage, with Evenepoel even picking up the spray paint himself to add his signature to the mural, which depicts his stage win on stage 3 in Arinsal.

Evenepoel may have said goodbye to his hopes of defending his overall title at this Vuelta, but three stage wins deep, about to win the King of the Mountains jersey, and now immortalised in a small town in Spain, the Belgian is certainly leaving his mark on this race - metaphorically and physically.

Remco Evenepoel wins stage 18 solo as Jumbo-Visma ride for Sepp Kuss

Remco Evenepoel goes down swinging on the Angliru

Remco Evenepoel bounces back to victory atop Puerto de Belagua

Philipsen edges Groenewegen and Jakobsen at Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen

) declared the 2023 season as the best of his career after claiming victory at the 

, beating the Dutch duo of Dylan Groenewegen (

Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) and Matteo Moschetti (Q36.5 Pro Cycling) made up the rest of the top five.

After 11 laps of the 14.5km circuit in Flanders, the trio battled it out in a highly-anticipated sprint battle. Philipsen, as he has for much of the 2023 campaign, came out on top by a fine margin.

Speaking at the finish, the Belgian quickman said: "There is always a strong field of sprinters here and there are hardly any elevation meters in the course, so it almost always ends in a bunch sprint here. I felt that Dylan came up quickly and Fabio also did a very strong sprint. It was very close. For the same money, Dylan or Fabio wins, but I am very happy that I come out on top."

Keen to use this victory as a springboard into more late-season one-day races, the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider added: "I just came back from Tenerife, where I had a good time cycling. I didn't stop. I hope to be able to take a number of more victories and end the season on a very positive note. I'm having the best season of my career."

Jumbo-Visma Cycling and Skating teams to split up from 2024 

 cycling and skating teams will go their separate ways from 2024. The two sports teams have been linked since 2014, under the Team Jumbo-Visma name. 

However, Jumbo-Visma managing director Richard Plugge has indicated that parting ways and continuing independently is "more attractive" for both entities.

It is understood that Plugge will continue to lead the cycling team whilst the speed skating team will still be run by Jac Orie and Sven Kramer. Supermarket chain Jumbo will remain involved with both teams until 2026 as a founding partner.

, Plugge said: "The cycling team has now acquired a much more international focus and appeal now that we are among the best cycling teams in the world. This means that the search for the main sponsorship is different for both parties.

"We have had many discussions about the upcoming change and have come to the conclusion that it is more attractive for the future of both teams to continue independently, each with its own sponsorship proposition. I am grateful to Jac for the good cooperation and I am grateful to Jumbo and the Van Eerd family for the support they have always provided."

Rooijakkers joins Fenix-Deceuninck on two-year deal

 on a two-year deal from 2024. The 30-year-old will leave 

The Dutchwoman recently achieved success on the gravel racing scene, triumphing at Houffa Gravel and Gravel One Fifty - both Gravel World Series events. On the road, she achieved a 12th-place finish at the 

Commenting on her move, Rooijakkers stated: "I had a very good feeling from the first conversation with the team management. 

"Fenix-Deceuninck has made great strides in recent years, but at the same time there are still growth opportunities and I would like to be part of that. With my experience, I hope to assist the current leading women, such as Yara Kastelijn, especially on the hilly courses and in stage races, and achieve results myself," she added.

Bagioli secures third consecutive Tour of Slovakia stage for Soudal Quick-Step

Andrea Bagioli (Soudal Quick-Step) edged out compatriot Michele Gazzoli (

) to deliver Soudal Quick-Step's third straight stage at the Tour of Slovakia. Rémi Cavagna, winner of stage 1, remains ahead in the GC by 2:20 after finishing fourth on the day.

A select group of riders which included Bagioli, Gazzoli, Cavagna and Stefan Küng (

) managed to form a gap in the final phases of the stage, with Bagioli proving to be strongest in the sprint.

Despite Cavagna's controlling lead in the overall standings, two testing hilly days await over the weekend, with a GC shake-up more than likely given the nature of the race so far.

Vuelta a España stage 19: Alberto Dainese narrowly beats Filippo Ganna in sprint

 (Ineos Grenadiers) on the line, providing solace and joy for a 

 team that had been caught up in a crash within the final 2km. 

 launched the perfect lead-out for Ganna and it looked as though the time trial specialist would take a second stage win of the race, but 

 timed his sprint to perfection and sealed his second Grand Tour stage victory of the year.

) rounded out the podium in third, whilst Dainese celebrated a third Grand Tour stage victory, with his Vuelta success adding to two wins at the Giro d'Italia. 

"I really wanted to finish my season in a good way and also to end my adventure with dsm-firmenich in a good way," admitted the Tudor Pro Cycling-bound Dainese. "Today we executed a plan 100%. I think it was really unlucky to lose a couple of guys in the crash but until that point, I was in a perfect position where I wanted to be."

Tour de Romandie Féminin stage 1: Sofia Bertizzolo wins as Carina Schrempf celebrates too early

 in remarkable fashion, throwing her bike to the line and edging out the day's late attacker 

Scrempf had attacked alone with 2.4km to go and looked set to win, but celebrated early rather than throwing her bike to the line. As such, it was 

 who was able to celebrate as Schrempf looked aghast with disbelief, whilst 

) rounded out the day's podium in third. 

 was the bravest rider of the day, spending almost 90km of the stage alone in the breakaway, but it was 

 who could perhaps earn the tag as the most aggressive rider. 

The Polish opportunist attacked countless times throughout the course of the day as the peloton was gradually whittled down to a smaller collective.

The road to Yverdon-les-Bains had been littered with attacks all afternoon and Schrempf was the final rider to seek elation, but her fine move was all for nothing as the peloton caught her on the line. The Austrian will rue such a missed opportunity. 

"We did it, UAE Team ADQ did it, the whole team, riders and staff. So tomorrow we will ride in yellow here at Romandie," Bertizzolo said after the finish, referring to the yellow leader's jersey she now holds. 

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UAE Team ADQ

UAE Team ADQ

The Team

Top UAE Team ADQ Stories

2024 Women’s WorldTour bikes, wheels and groupsets: A complete guide

UAE Team ADQ Team Talk: Reaping the rewards of new development pathway

News Round-up: Remco Evenepoel honoured with mural in Vuelta a España start town

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Name	Age	UCI Career Wins	UCI Points
Chiara Consonni	24	16	2411
Silvia Persico	26	5	1728
Olivia Baril	26	5	1376
Marta Bastianelli	36	44	1099
Eleonora Gasparrini	22	4	1084