The national championships are just around the corner. Liv Racing TeqFind’s riders are competing for national titles in eight different countries. Mavi García (Spanish time trial and road champion) and Tereza Neumanova (Czech road champion) are the outgoing champions of their countries and will appear at the start in Liv Racing TeqFind’s iconic purple outfit for the first time in a long time.
Tereza Neumanova: “Last year I wore the Czech Republic’s championship jersey for the second season in a row. I can assure you: it is quite an honour to wear the national colours on the highest podium of cycling, in the WorldTour races. Of course I would like to extend the title, but it will be difficult. The course of less than 100 kilometres is relatively flat, and therefore not selective. I am riding as a single rider and know that as an outgoing champion I will attract a lot of eyes. So trying to make the difference will just be difficult. Hopefully I end up in the final of the race and get the chance to show my qualities on the slightly uphill final section. However, I feel no pressure and approach this race like any other.”
Mavi García: “Both in the time trial and road race, I will aim for the highest and hope to keep the national champion’s jerseys. The outside world expects me to just do it, after winning the double three years in a row. In that sense, the pressure is on me, you can only lose. But the reality is of course different, it’s not all that simple. I have just finished my altitude training camp at the Sierra Nevada, so I have to see how the return to the peloton goes. I do know that the road race is tough with more than 2,000 altimeters, so it would suit a type of rider like me well. In addition, this year we have put a lot of time into improving my time trial position, also with a view to the closing time trial in the Tour de France Femmes. In theory, I should be able to reach a higher level. Hopefully that will also be visible at the national championships.”
The complete overview
Spain: Mavi García (time trial on Friday 23 June – 32 kilometres, road race on Saturday 24 June – 122.6 kilometres)
Czech Republic: Tereza Neumanova (road race on Saturday 24 June – 96.7 kilometres)
United States: Ayesha McGowan (criterium on Friday 23 June – 70 minutes, road race on Sunday 25 June – 109.4 kilometres)
The Netherlands: Eva Buurman, Thalita de Jong, Quinty Ton, Silke Smulders, Sabrina Stultiens, Jeanne Korevaar (road race on Saturday 24 June – 153.1 kilometres)
Belgium: Valerie Demey (road race on Sunday 25 June – 136.2 kilometres)
Sweden: Caroline Andersson (road race on Saturday 24 June – 120 kilometres)
Italy: Rachele Barbieri (time trial on Friday 23 June – 25.7 kilometres, road race on Sunday 25 June – 147 kilometres), Katia Ragusa (road race)
Poland: Marta Jaskulska (time trial on Thursday 22 June – 23 kilometres, road race on Sunday 25 June – 138 kilometres)