LOCATION = LUXEMBOURG FOR FESTIVAL ELSY JACOBS

CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto Generation is set for a weekend of back-to-back UCI 1.1 races at Festival Elsy Jacobs, named in honour of the first-ever women’s road race world champion, crowned in 1958.

Representing the team in the picturesque Grand Duchy are Diane Ingabire, Maddie Le Roux, Jule Märkl, Joëlle Messemer, new team member Valentina Corvi, and WorldTeam rider Wilma Aintila – making her second appearance since returning from a spring injury break.

A long-standing fixture in the women’s peloton, Festival Elsy Jacobs has seen major format changes in recent years. Originally held as a one-day race in 2008, it became a multi-stage event in 2012, then shifted again in 2024 from a 2.Pro multi-day tour to two standalone 1.1 races.

This weekend offers invaluable experience for Valentina as she begins her transition into road racing – developing her skills on slick tyres and learning the nuances of road-specific racecraft. It’s also a beneficial race for the entire team; Festival Elsy Jacobs always attracts a motivated, competitive field and delivers animated racing on challenging parcours that reliably spark fireworks and frenzy.

Both Saturday and Sunday feature the same circuits as 2024. Saturday’s 112.5 kilometre route is slightly shorter and hillier, with 16 ascents across three different climbs packed into multiple laps, totalling 1657 metres of elevation. On Sunday, the race shifts to the outskirts of Luxembourg City, starting in Cessange. The 121.4km course retains a mix of narrow rural lanes and modestly-wide roads from the day before but presents a spikier profile – 1361m of elevation delivered through more frequent, punchier climbs on what should be a faster circuit.

Luxembourg’s roads have played host to countless intense tussles, and the winners list reads like a who’s who of women’s cycling. Marianne Vos (JVW) and Anna van der Breggen (SDW) have each claimed multiple victories, while our own Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney took the top step in 2016.

It’s always great to see such a long-standing and pivotal event in women’s cycling history remain on the calendar — especially as the sport continues to rapidly grow and evolve.

HOW TO FOLLOW

Festival Elsy Jacobs à Garnich | 1.1 | Saturday May 3 | 112.5km | 1657m elevation | Start 13:30 CET – fastest finish 16:45.

Festival Elsy Jacobs à Luxembourg | 1.1 | Sunday May 4  | 121.4km | 1361m elevation | Start 13:30 CET – fastest finish 17:00.

Live coverage will be available on both days, courtesy of the Moto Media Team – watch here. Stay updated on X with #Felsy, and follow CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto on socials for team updates.