SD Worx-Protime have confirmed the signing of Valentina Cavallar (Arkéa-B&B Hotels Women) on a three‑year contract starting in 2026, adding the 24‑year‑old Austrian to reinforce their climbing unit after acknowledging a need for greater depth in the high mountains.
Sports manager Danny Stam said in the team’s announcement that they “were missing some power in the mountains” and believe Cavallar’s profile fits the gap.
Cavallar, a former Olympic rower who competed in the lightweight double sculls for Austria at Tokyo 2020, described the move as the realisation of a long‑held ambition.
“I cannot quite grasp that I will be riding in the colours of SD Worx-Protime next year. Since the very first Tour, this has been my dream team. That dream is now becoming a reality. I still get goosebumps,” she said. Her switch from rowing began after watching the 2022 Tour de France Femmes on while on a training camp, an experience she said “planted the seed to start racing”.
The transfer follows a rapid rise since Cavallar signed mid‑2024 with Arkéa‑B&B and stepped into WorldTour racing at Flèche Wallonne and Liège–Bastogne–Liège. She briefly wore the mountains jersey at Itzulia Women that spring, then underlined her climbing credentials with second overall at the 2024 Tour Féminin des Pyrénées. This season she added a headline win at the Alpes Grésivaudan Classic and continued to bank stage‑race experience.
SD Worx-Protime remain the benchmark across much of the calendar, yet high‑mountain depth has been an area of focus. Stam framed Cavallar as both immediate support and a long‑term project. “She has already shown climbing talent. We will give her the time and space to develop herself,” he said, pointing to a staged integration where she will learn Grand Tour rhythms in climbing roles and provide support in stage races before assuming broader responsibilities.
Rowers have long punched above their weight in cycling. Rebecca Romero, Cameron Wurf and Kristen Faulkner are just three examples of how world-class rowing engines become serious assets on the bike.
Cover image credit: Thomas Maheux/SWpix.com
