Teenagers Kaia Schmid and Makayla MacPherson, who won stages at Rás na mBan in Kilkenny in September, have been snapped up by US pro team Rally Cycling, which has applied for a World Tour licence.
The two American riders came to Ireland as part of the Lux Cycling team, in between representing the US at the World Junior Track Championships in Egypt and the World Road Championships in Belgium.
Schmid, who had won a gold, silver and bronze at the track Worlds just days before arriving in Ireland, won the opening stage of Rás na mBan into Callan and repeated that performance on the final stage in Kilkenny City.
Despite being a junior rider competing against the elites, she also won the points classification and claimed 8th overall. Her team mate and fellow junior rider, MacPherson, won the penultimate stage of the race, also into Kilkenny.
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After completing their race in Ireland, they went to the road Worlds, where Schmid rode away from the rest of the field with Zoe Bäckstedt, only to be beaten by the British rider in the sprint for gold, with MacPherson taking 5th.
Both riders have now been signed by Rally Cycling for next year and 2023; making the transition from the junior ranks straight into the pro peloton.
“Both Kaia and Makayla have already shown their strength against the rest of the world at the junior World Championships this year,” said Rally team director Joanne Kiesanowski.
“Rally Cycling is so happy for the opportunity not only to invest in the next generation of American cyclists but also to move into the elites with strong and accomplished athletes.
“I have seen both of them show such maturity on and off the bike and I have a lot of confidence in them taking the step up to the elites. We look forward to working with them at their pace and monitor their performances and recovery to make sure they have the time to grow as athletes and individuals."
