Menu
Conquista Cycling Club
0
  • Home
  • Issues
    • Conquista 28
    • Conquista 27
    • Conquista 26
    • Conquista 25
    • Conquista 24
    • Conquista 23
    • Conquista 22
    • Conquista 21
    • Conquista 20
    • Conquista 19
    • Conquista 18
    • Conquista 17
    • Conquista 16
    • Conquista 15
    • Conquista 14
    • Conquista 13
    • Conquista 12
    • Conquista 11
    • Conquista 10
    • Conquista 09
    • Conquista 08
    • Conquista 07
    • Conquista 06
    • Conquista 05
    • Conquista 04
    • Conquista 03
    • Conquista 02
    • Conquista 01
    • Conquista 00
  • Shop
  • About
  • Blog
  • ConquistAdores
    • Kalas
    • FiftyOne
    • Michael Blann Photography
  • Contributors
    • Mitchell Belacone
    • Suze Clemitson
    • Laura Fletcher
    • Russell Jones
    • Scott O'Raw
    • Tom Owen
    • Shane Stokes
    • Trevor Ward
    • Simon Wilkinson
  • Members
  • Sign in
  • GBP £
  • Your Cart is Empty
Conquista Cycling Club
Conquista Cycling Club
  • Home
  • Issues
    • Conquista 28
    • Conquista 27
    • Conquista 26
    • Conquista 25
    • Conquista 24
    • Conquista 23
    • Conquista 22
    • Conquista 21
    • Conquista 20
    • Conquista 19
    • Conquista 18
    • Conquista 17
    • Conquista 16
    • Conquista 15
    • Conquista 14
    • Conquista 13
    • Conquista 12
    • Conquista 11
    • Conquista 10
    • Conquista 09
    • Conquista 08
    • Conquista 07
    • Conquista 06
    • Conquista 05
    • Conquista 04
    • Conquista 03
    • Conquista 02
    • Conquista 01
    • Conquista 00
  • Shop
  • About
  • Blog
  • ConquistAdores
    • Kalas
    • FiftyOne
    • Michael Blann Photography
  • Contributors
    • Mitchell Belacone
    • Suze Clemitson
    • Laura Fletcher
    • Russell Jones
    • Scott O'Raw
    • Tom Owen
    • Shane Stokes
    • Trevor Ward
    • Simon Wilkinson
  • Members
  • Currency

  • 0 0

CANYON//SRAM Racing: Announce the Zwift Academy winner

December 28, 2016 0 Comments

Image: ©cyclingimages

This week CANYON//SRAM Racing announced the final addition to its 11-rider roster in 2017 when American Leah Thorvilson won the inaugural Zwift Academy.

In January 2016 the team announced a project with its partner Zwift,  the online social fitness platform for cyclists, to search for cycling talent with non-conventional methods and offer one woman a professional contract. More than 1200 women signed up and were put through a series of structured online workouts and tests. Narrowed down in the semi-finals stage to twelve women, training became a combination of indoor and outdoor sessions before three talented women were selected to train with the team in Mallorca for the ten-day final.

Ronny Lauke, CANYON//SRAM Racing team manager said "We had the pleasure to meet three highly motivated women, whom have qualified for the final round. All three of them had strengths that would be beneficial for the team and weaknesses where team help will be required in the future. Although from a power output Leah was the strongest, it has not been the only factor to play a role in her selection. It was her curiosity of what to expect next, how to do it best in training every day, and also the continued positive spirit after some setbacks that made us believe we can have the most impact on her further development." 

[powr-media-gallery id=518faa2a_1482922643]

Thorvilson now earns a pro contract and the opportunity to race with team in 2017. "The Zwift Academy was the first time I had done any structured training on the bike and I've really enjoyed seeing my improvements. The members of the Zwift Academy became a real friendship group. I'm grateful for this opportunity and I can’t wait to begin this next chapter with the CANYON//SRAM Racing.” 

Thorvilson, a former accomplished marathon runner from Little Rock, Arkansas took up cycling after a series of injuries prompted her move just 18 months ago. Working full time as a development director at the University of Arkansas, Thorvilson quickly fell in love with cycling. "You know when I stopped running I never thought I could enjoy another sport again in the same way. But this experience has been incredible. I feel like I have another chance and I think I love it even more," she told the team management.

Lauke looks forward to a continued partnership between the team and Zwift in the future. "What we do like about the Zwift Academy is that it offers more people to get involved in the sport overall. We have connected the traditional pathways to enter a pro team with the new digital world. We believe there are many talents out there not being able to show their strength and we are willing to take on the challenge to show it's possible to come from a different background. There are many things that both worlds have in common and every side can benefit from another."

"The sport is constantly growing with fans becoming more active, wanting to become more involved, more interested in what the teams are doing behind the scenes. We want to be open and accessible, and we want to motivate people to get on bikes: indoors, outdoors, on the flat, in the mountains, everywhere. We believe the Zwift Academy is inspiring for many and the responses from the four film episodes of the finals in Mallorca pays tribute to that."

Watch the final film here: Episode 4

  • Share:


Also in Blog

The season for far …
The season for far …

June 23, 2023 0 Comments

We are following the fortunes of young racing cyclist Evie Field, in her first season as a junior for JRC-Interflon Race Team. In this month's edition of her blog she takes time to look back on the season so far, as training racing and high school exams all collide at the same time...

Read More

Gent-Wevelgem in Flanders Fields
Gent-Wevelgem in Flanders Fields

April 28, 2023 0 Comments

In this month's edition of Evie Field's racing blog we join her and her team mates as she makes her debut racing on the  European scene at Junior Gent-Wevelgem. 

Read More

Girona Training Camp – Cycling Nirvana
Girona Training Camp – Cycling Nirvana

March 31, 2023 0 Comments

We are following the fortunes of young cyclist Evie Field, in her first season racing as a junior for JRC-Interflon Race Team. In Part 1 Evie told us about the transition from club to national level racing. In Part 2 of her blog she gives us a peak inside the team training camp which took place in the cycling Mecca that is Girona.

Read More

Follow

© 2025 Conquista Cycling Club. is a trading name of Target Sports Consulting UK Limited
Powered by Shopify

American Express Apple Pay Diners Club Discover Google Pay Maestro Mastercard PayPal Shop Pay Union Pay Visa