Marine Lenehan has never done a full season of road racing since she took up cycling in February, 2023. Yet she has just become Ireland's newest World Tour rider. And she's got that new deal with a team from the big end of town, giants Lidl Trek.
Though she has proven herself on the Gran Fondo circuit - winning European and World titles on road and gravel - road racing is a different ball game. And the World Tour is a different planet, with Lenehan now its newest citizen, so to speak.
Early last year she was in talks with Lidl Trek and they agreed to take her on as a stagiaire from August 1st. She took up that offer, riding three races - including Tour de Pologne. And now she has a two-year contract with the team. Her move to the paid ranks was confirmed yesterday.
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"I’m absolutely thrilled to be able to join as a full-time rider, and honestly, it still feels a bit surreal. It’s a real 'pinch-me, I’m dreaming' moment," she said of making a major move that remains a dream for most racing cyclists, but has come to her so quickly.
"I still feel quite new to the sport, which makes this opportunity even more exciting. I only started cycling a few years ago and completely fell in love with the sport.
"The freedom, the community, and the constant drive to push my limits. To now be joining a team like Lidl–Trek full-time is something really special."
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Though Lenehan is now aged 27 years and is going into the paid ranks later than most riders, that late entry is not as unusual in women's racing as it is in the men's peloton.
They are countless stories of female riders only taking up cycling, and making it to the pro rankings, after a previous sporting career or even after completing university and working in the real world for several years.
For example, the reigning Olympic champion - in both road race and team pursuit - American Kristen Faulkner, is now aged 31 years and only rode her first UCI-ranked race in 2020. She came to cycling after a career in high performance rowing, and after graduating from Harvard before working in finance for a time.
And stories like that are not unusual. It means Lenehan has plenty of time, and plenty of role models to look up to. Furthermore, her relative inexperience in the European peloton means we haven't even begun to see what she may be capable of, especially after she gets a full season of racing into her legs.
She says she is very excited about what's to come, especially after an "incredible experience" while riding as a stagiaire with Lidl-Trek in August and September.
“It was a big step up, and I’ve learned so much in such a short space of time. The level of professionalism, the support from the staff, and the team environment have all been amazing," she said.
"From the very start, everyone was so welcoming and there is a real family vibe within the team. I’ve loved testing myself in the races and seeing how I measure up against some of the best riders in the world. It’s been both challenging and rewarding, and it’s definitely confirmed that this is where I want to be."
