Kate Courtney joins FDJ-Suez with immediate effect, completing a rapid mid-season jump from mountain biking into the Women’s WorldTour. The 30-year-old American has signed through December 2028 with the team led by Demi Vollering.
The move marks a major acceleration in Courtney’s road ambitions. She had appeared set for a broader 2026 calendar after building her own She Sends Racing program. Instead, she now moves straight into one of the strongest structures in women’s road cycling.
Kate Courtney joins FDJ-Suez after rapid road progress
Courtney built her reputation in cross-country mountain biking. She won the cross-country world championship at age 22 and later scored sustained success in the UCI Cross Country World Cup.
Last year, she shifted toward longer endurance events. That change brought another world title, this time in marathon mountain biking. She also set the Leadville course record, reinforcing her range beyond Olympic-format cross-country racing.
Those performances pointed toward a wider racing schedule and possible road opportunities. Courtney then launched She Sends Racing as a privateer platform for that transition.
Her early road outings quickly drew attention. In limited opportunities, she took several professional wins and added a U.S. national title. That form helped turn a gradual transition into an immediate WorldTour contract.
FDJ United-Suez general manager Stephen Delcourt described Courtney as a “remarkable athlete” with a strong profile for “short, hard efforts.” He said the team would support her as she learns European road racing.
Delcourt also framed the signing as part of the team’s wider approach. FDJ-Suez has welcomed riders from other cycling disciplines, believing varied backgrounds can strengthen performance and culture.
A contract through the Los Angeles Olympic cycle
The deal runs until December 2028, after the Los Angeles Olympic Games. That timing gives Courtney a road pathway across the next Olympic cycle on home soil.
Courtney already had visibility around Los Angeles 2028. She appeared in the Paris 2024 closing ceremony video message, which also featured Tom Cruise and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Her own reaction underlined how quickly the opportunity arrived. Courtney said she did not expect to reach the WorldTour so soon. She called the move a major challenge and a chance to discover her limits.
She also praised the team’s racing style, citing its aggression, boldness, and trust. Courtney said she had found the environment she had sought since the start of her career.
Despite the high-profile signing, FDJ-Suez does not appear ready to rush her into the biggest stage races. The move could invite speculation about the Tour de France Femmes, but the team will take a more measured route.
Courtney is set to debut in team colors at La Périgord Ladies. Her planned schedule also includes La Picto-Charentaise and the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women later this year.
The road world championships in Montreal this September could also become a possibility, depending on selection and course fit. For now, Courtney’s priority will be adapting to European road racing inside a WorldTour team.
Her signing gives FDJ-Suez a rider with proven world championship credentials and a different athletic profile. It also confirms that Courtney’s road project has moved much faster than expected.