Kate Courtney FDJ plans now center on the road, after the American signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with FDJ United-Suez. The agreement starts immediately and turns one of mountain biking’s biggest names into a full-time road racer.
The move marks a major change for Courtney, who rose to global prominence in cross-country mountain biking. She won the XCO world title at 22 and has spent years on the World Cup circuit.
Now 30, Courtney has spent recent seasons searching for a different sporting challenge. Her She Sends Foundation and privateer program gave her more freedom to race beyond a traditional mountain bike calendar.
That shift produced a wide-ranging season. She won a marathon mountain bike world title, set a Leadville course record, and began testing longer efforts.
Her road debut came in May. She immediately made an impact by winning the U.S. national championship in her first road event.
Kate Courtney FDJ switch follows fast road breakthrough
Courtney said the road idea began after an unexpected change in her mountain bike season. A broken wrist forced her away from planned World Cup starts and toward Leadville.
That experience changed her thinking. She said the new challenge brought out a performance level she had not reached for several years.
A later call from USA Cycling national road team director Tanner Putt added momentum. He asked whether she would consider racing with the national team.
Courtney said that invitation sparked her curiosity about road racing. She had not previously viewed it as a realistic path.
She also noted a difference between racing cultures. In the United States, events often sit far apart, making discipline switches less common than in Europe.
The exploration moved quickly. Courtney had still described the road as an open experiment earlier this spring. Within months, she had joined one of the strongest teams in women’s cycling.
Why FDJ United-Suez appealed to Courtney
Courtney described FDJ United-Suez as a team with a demanding, ambitious environment. She pointed to its culture, teamwork, and aggressive approach to winning.
She also praised the team’s performance structure. Courtney said riders who join the program appear to improve, which mattered at this point in her career.
The roster also brings a clear challenge. FDJ United-Suez includes major stars, including Demi Vollering, and opportunities will be hard earned.
Courtney acknowledged that selection for the biggest races will be difficult. She said that same depth gives her the best place to learn.
She also linked the team to broader storytelling in women’s cycling. Courtney has long emphasized inspiring girls and women through sport.
Olympic ambition remains part of the road project
Courtney said a home Olympics first pushed her to think seriously about the road. She now views that goal as the summit, not the whole climb.
The immediate question is what type of road rider she can become. Courtney said FDJ general manager Stephen Delcourt told her the answer was not yet known.
She said Delcourt framed her ceiling as limitless. The team plans to invest in her development and see where it leads.
Courtney expects a steep learning curve. Road racing brings longer distances, repeated race days, and tactical demands beyond XCO racing.
She believes some physiology will transfer from a decade as a professional cyclist. Still, she sees many unknowns in longer events and stage racing.
Her recent off-road results shaped that belief. At Leadville, she highlighted the hour-long Columbine climb at high altitude during a seven-hour race.
She said that performance helped reveal an affinity for longer climbing efforts. Cape Epic also showed how her body handled multi-day racing within a team.
Courtney said the new direction has revived her motivation. After years in one discipline, road racing has made training and competition feel new again.
She compared the feeling to being a junior rider, with fewer fixed expectations and more room to explore. That mindset now carries into her FDJ United-Suez chapter.