Urška Žigart will depart from her tenure at Liv AlUla Jayco and start a brand new chapter of her skilled racing profession at AG Insurance-Soudal starting in 2025. The Slovenian nationwide champion in the time trial and street race stated she hopes the change will result in her progress on the highest stage of the game, particularly throughout mountainous terrain.
“What attracted me to hitch AG Insurance-Soudal was that I solely ever heard good issues in regards to the team, and once they reached out to me, I used to be instantly in listening to what they needed to say. I used to be shortly drawn to their imaginative and prescient and the way they noticed me becoming into the team. It was clear that that they had a powerful concept of how I might match in each as a rider and as an individual,” Žigart stated.
“Within the team, I really feel like I’m nonetheless studying, despite the fact that I’ve fairly a little bit of expertise in the WorldTour peloton. This 12 months, nevertheless, I noticed that I’m not the youngest anymore. So, in that sense, I hope to cross on some information to the youthful riders whereas additionally remaining open to studying from everybody. In phrases of racing, I’m fairly a flexible rider, however I actually excel in climbing. That’s the place I can supply sturdy assist, and generally, I’d even attempt to play a task in the finale.”
AG Insurance-Soudal has constructed a multi-level programme that features under-19, under-23 and elite groups with a powerful improvement part to its graduating tiers, the place Žigart, now 27, goals to work intently with the up-and-coming riders on the team.
Žigart has been racing professionally for the final ten seasons. She defined in a team press launch that rising up, round her extracurricular actions in music; and taking part in piano and guitar, she was lively in a number of sports activities; observe and discipline, volleyball, and working. She stated that she gained a love of biking after driving her mom’s stationary bike earlier than later taking on street driving and becoming a member of a neighborhood team.
She signed her first skilled contract with the Continental team BTC City Ljubljana in 2015 the place she developed throughout worldwide racing for the following six seasons till it folded as a WorldTour team in 2020. She then made the transfer over to BikeExchange, now Liv AlUla Jayco, the place she has supported her teammates on the highest stage throughout 4 seasons.
Although Žigart is a four-time nationwide champion in the time trial, she nonetheless goals to enhance in this self-discipline on the WorldTour. She hopes to progress in the mountainous terrain, whether or not that is one-day racing or stage racing, and work alongside Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio in the approaching season. This 12 months, she completed twelfth general on the Giro d’Italia, ninth on the Tour de Suisse, fourth on the current Giro dell’Emilia and received the time trial and street race titles on the Slovenian Championships.
“My private targets for the 2025 season are to proceed enhancing in each facet, simply as I’ve in the previous few years, and to maintain this upward trajectory. I’ve proven that I might be near one of the best in onerous climbing races, so I actually need to discover that and see how far I can go when the chance arises,” Žigart stated.
“Based on the conversations I’ve had, I believe I can develop right here in each method. I particularly need to enhance on hilly terrains and proceed engaged on my time trial abilities. In the team, I can’t overlook the expertise of Ashleigh [Moolman-Pasio] in driving GC in massive stage races. I hope to study from her as effectively and lend a serving to hand (or leg) every time I can.
“It’s been 4 years since my final team change, and I’ve to confess, I’ve grown very comfy at Greenedge, and I actually felt at residence there. It was onerous to consider altering as a result of change brings new individuals, new relationships, new gear, and new challenges. But change also can carry progress, and from the whole lot I’ve heard in regards to the team, I really feel calm, assured, and able to meet everybody quickly.”
