Cat Ferguson calls for better U23 pathways in women’s cycling

"There isn't enough money at this point to have that good under-23 setup in the women's sport," Ferguson said. "I think now there's almost a bit of a craze about juniors, and if you don't make it to the World Tour out of juniors, then some of them think well that's it, I'm never going professional or anything."

It is a mindset that, according to Ferguson, overlooks how young riders really are when they leave the junior ranks.

"That's awful that they think that because you're at the age of 18 when you leave the juniors and of course it's not over," she explained.

Right now, the sport offers almost no clear stepping stone between junior racing and the WorldTour. Riders are pushed into the elite level early because there is no structured under-23 pathway to develop them at a realistic pace.

"There are no sort of steps or examples where you can look of girls who have gone to a good under-23 team and raced lots of under-23 races and not being just completely thrown into a World Tour race on an under-23 team," she added.

Ferguson believes fixing this gap is essential for the future of the sport.

"It's crucial for the continuity of the younger generation in this sport, and also, it would be able to increase our numbers in participation as well," she said. "I think it is crucial that that is the next thing we sort of work on, and hopefully lots of the teams, World Tour teams can make that change. I think that's where it needs to come from."

One proposal gaining momentum comes from Natascha Knaven den Ouden, founder of NXTG Racing, who has called for a European women’s development league. Her argument is simple. Without races, there is no development.

"As long as there isn't a solid European Continental race calendar, talent development will stall. A paycheck means nothing if there are no races to start in," Knaven den Ouden stated in a post.

Her plan would bundle existing national, .2 and .1 races into one unified league open to club teams and Continental squads, with rules to protect opportunities for developing riders. The idea is to create a genuine intermediate level before riders make the jump to the WorldTour.

Knaven den Ouden says the ingredients are already in place. "The riders are there. The races already exist. The organisers are there. What's missing is a structure to connect it all."

Her proposal comes as The Cyclists' Alliance highlights the widening gap between Continental and WorldTour riders. In the Netherlands, mandatory salary rules have already wiped out all Continental teams, making the pathway even narrower.

Without dedicated under 23 structures, women’s cycling risks losing far too many young riders who simply need more time. Building that missing layer may be crucial for the sport’s long term health and competitiveness.

Watch the full episode with Cat Ferguson in the Domestique Hotseat 👇