Cynisca team aims to spark US women's revival

SAINT MARTORY, France : As the women's Tour de France departs from Paris on Sunday, an American second-tier team is quietly settling in at a luxurious location in southwestern France, looking to kick-start a revival in U.S. women's cycling.

Cynisca Cycling, named after the Spartan princess who became the first woman to win an Olympic title in 396BC in chariot racing, will start competing in 2023 after recruiting a dozen riders, including eight Americans.

Backed by a wealthy entrepreneur from Indiana, Jeff Jones, the team will be based at the Chateau de Saint Martory, at the foot of the French Pyrenees with the aim of developing young talent after U.S. women's cycling was hit hard by the COVID-19 crisis.

"For American bike racers being in France is the actualisation of a dream," said Brendan Quirk, CEO of USA Cycling.

"This is the epicentre of global cycling. Everything that makes it such a beautiful sport. All of the romance around the sport. This country is what American bike racers dream about.

"And so to have the opportunity for this team to come together for our young women is an incredible opportunity to kickstart our development programme."

The team will be managed by Chris Gutowsky, with twice Olympic silver medallist and six-times world champion Marion Cliget, an American-born French rider, as their main sports director.

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"COVID was so devastating that our developmental programming... pretty much went dead in the water," Quirk added.

"So what's happened is our nation's ranking for women with the UCI, we were historically a top three nation. We're at an all-time low."

After two years without races and no opportunities to travel for the U.S.-based riders, France will provide the young women with the