Lizzie Deignan will lead a new professional women’s team in '19 backed by the current men’s World Tour sponsor, Trek, according to Jeremy Whittle of the London GUARDIAN. The former world champion, who will have her first child in September, is targeting the Int'l Cycling Union (UCI) world road championships in Yorkshire next year and is "already looking ahead to the next Olympic Games" in '20. Describing the launch of the women’s team as "historic," Trek CEO John Burke said that the team was "really optimistic about women’s cycling." He said, "We really believe the team will inspire a group of riders over the years to come." Deignan is "the first of a dozen names to be added to the Trek women’s team roster," which will hit the road at the start of next season. The new team, which will employ only full-time professional riders, "will increase pressure" on race organizers, including Tour de France organizer Amaury Sport Organisation, to further develop its own program of women’s racing, including a women’s Tour, something which UCI President David Lappartient "has promised will happen within his four-year tenure" (GUARDIAN, 7/16).
