Time trialling and track powerhouse Chloé Dygert is set to take the European road scene by storm after signing for Canyon-SRAM Racing.
The 23 year-old American, who suffered a horrific leg injury when crashing out of this year’s World Championships time trial, has signed a four year deal with the German-registered squad.
In her first season Dygert will concentrate on regaining fitness after her crash before focusing on the Olympics, where she hopes to win gold in both the time trial and team pursuit.
“It’s the best team for me, willing to work with my track schedule and giving me the freedom to still be the athlete I strive to be,” Dygert said in a team press release.
Dygert is one of the most promising riders in world cycling. She has already collected 10 rainbow jerseys as a junior and elite across road and track, and her winning margin of 1.32 in the time trial at the 2019 Yorkshire world time trial championship was the biggest in history. Men or women.
On her way to winning Individual Pursuit gold at the Berlin track world championships in February, she set two world records in one day, her final time of 3.16.937 over three seconds better than the previous best, which she also set two years before.
After winning the 2015 junior road and time trial titles in Richmond, Virginia, Dygert joined the Sho-Air team run by Brit, Nicola Cranmer the following year, and has been racing and winning on the road ever since.
This year though, the team decided not to apply for Women’s Continental team status, a decision which, combined with the pandemic, resulted in Dygert not racing a single UCI event before the Imola World Championships.
There, despite her lack of racing, she appeared on track to take a second time trial title when she crashed with such horrific consequences, Dutch rider Anna van der Breggen going on to take the title.
Dygert has won numerous road races in North America, her world championship appearances are her only European road races and she is certain to need some time adapting.
“I still had goals to accomplish before we could move to that one,” Dygert continued. “I’ll stay working with my coach Kristin Armstrong . We’ve always set goals and got after them one at a time, without spreading ourselves too thin. We’ll keep that approach next year and we’re looking forward to the support environment of Canyon-SRAM and its partners.”
In recent years Canyon-SRAM have consistently been one of the world’s highest performing teams, but failed to win a race during the truncated 2020 season. They did come close a number of times, most notably at the Giro Rosa, where Kasia Niewiadoma finished second overall.
Dygert though will bring a single mindedness and focus to the team.
“Chloé is an outstanding force of nature in time trials and with her overall strength she is a very diverse rider.” said team manager Ronny Lauke.
“She will open up new tactical opportunities for the team during road races. I am also confident with her personality, that she will add willpower and tenacity into our talented group of riders.”
>>> 12 surprising riders still searching for contracts as 2020 season comes to an end
Dygert added: “I’m excited to see myself in the Canyon-SRAM colours. It will be my first time racing on the road in Europe but my coach and I agree that the time for that has now come in my career. I’m confident that Canyon-SRAM will provide the best environment for me to achieve my future goals over the next four years.
“Also, there’s lots of pink!”
