Emma Pooley re-signs with Lotto-Soudal Ladies for the second half of the season

Emma Pooley has rejoined Lotto-Soudal Ladies, the team she rode for before her retirement

Emma Pooley has announced that she will once again ride for Lotto-Soudal Ladies - the team she was part of in 2014, signing a contract for the remainder of the 2016 season.

The British rider will feature in a support role for Claudia Lichtenberg at the upcoming Giro d'Italia Femminile, and is reported to be on the Team GB road race squad for the Rio Olympics.

Her first race since the announcement will be the British National Road Championships time trial on Thursday June 23. The TT is an event she may also compete in at the Olympics.

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Pooley broke the news on her website, saying: "I’m delighted to announce that I’ve signed with the Lotto-Soudal Ladies’ Team for the second half of the 2016 season!"

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She thanked the team directors for welcoming her back and went on to spell out her plans for the second half of the season.

"The Giro Rosa will be my main target with the Lotto-Soudal team, riding in support of Claudia [Lichtenberg] in one of the toughest 10 days of racing the women’s Giro has ever seen. It will be hard, and it will be the perfect preparation for the Rio Olympics if I’m selected for Team GB – and if not, it will be great training for the Alpe d’Huez Triathlon!"

Ones to watch

Pooley's possible inclusion in the GB Olympics team looks to be at the cost of a place for Dani King, who has spoken out about her disappointment at not being selected.

The final GB Olympics team is due to be announced on Friday June 24.

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Jack Elton-Walters hails from the Isle of Wight, and would be quick to tell anyone that it's his favourite place to ride. He has covered a varied range of topics for Cycling Weekly, producing articles focusing on tech, professional racing and cycling culture. He moved on to work for Cyclist Magazine in 2017 where he stayed for four years until going freelance. He now returns to Cycling Weekly from time-to-time to cover racing, review cycling gear and write longer features for print and online.