Cervélo Bigla Pro Cycling Team’s Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio started the season off with a bang when she placed second overall and won the mountains classification at the Setmana Ciclista Valencia in Benidorm yesterday.
The South African ended her 2017 season on a high when she won her fourth 947 Cycle Challenge title in November. Prior to that, she finished seventh in the elite women’s individual time-trial at the UCI Road World Championships in Norway.
South Africa’s Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio, who rides for Cervélo Bigla Pro Cycling Team, placed second overall and won the mountains classification at the Setmana Ciclista Valencia in Benidorm, Spain, yesterday. Photo: Velofocus
Her teammate Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig claimed a fourth place in yesterday’s race. This result means the team claimed an overall podium position, a classification win and three-second places.
“I’m very happy with the start to my season and it was great for the team, because it showed that we’re working really well together,” said Moolman-Pasio.
“It was actually a surprise for me to be so strong so early in the season, but it’s a great thing and I’m happy about that. I came into the race just to race hard and use it as a training block, so I had no real goals or intentions.
“In terms of the overall GC, i think Canyon-SRAM did a great job. To win the race as a team, we maybe made some mistakes tactically that cost us the victory at the end of the day, but in general it was a really great way to start the season. It gives me good confidence and motivation going forward,” said Moolman-Pasio.
Last year the team won six national titles and World Tour races such as the Gent-Wevelgem and a stage in the Giro Rosa.
“I’m really proud that we can compete against big teams until the last kilometre of a four-stage race like this. I want to help the girls become world-class athletes and races like this are great for their development,” said team manager Thomas Campana.
