SWISS ROAD CHAMPION SIGNS FOR CANYON//SRAM

Still only two years into her full-time road career, but already the Swiss national road race champion in both of those, Steffi Häberlin will enter her third professional road season with a new team, joining CANYON//SRAM.

A pandemic-era convert to the sport, Steffi began racing off-road in July 2020 and, just two months later, became the Swiss cross-country marathon champion.

From there, her natural talent on two wheels continued to reveal itself, culminating in a runner-up finish in the same discipline at the 2021 European Championships. Her transition from mountain biking to the road was measured yet remarkable – an opportunistic fifth-place finish from a decisive breakaway on the final stage of the 2024 Tour de Suisse Women putting her firmly on the radar. Although never appearing out of her depth, Steffi was apprehensive about stepping into the professional peloton full-time.

The 28-year-old explains:

“My first contract was a big change for me because I had only been cycling for four years, and that was mainly as a cross-country mountain-biker. I had been thinking about making the switch to the road for quite some time, but I didn’t really know what to expect or whether it was the right decision for me at that time. Those doubts are long gone now, and I’m really happy to be a road cyclist. I see this next step as a great opportunity to keep learning and developing as a rider, and to gather more race days.”

It’s that balance between continued progression and the person behind the performance that stood out most to Steffi when considering CANYON//SRAM.

“CANYON//SRAM is an ambitious team, but at the same time I don’t think that the human side of the sport gets lost. I’ve had the feeling that CANYON//SRAM really tries to support each rider individually, and get the most out of everyone. I also find it commendable that CANYON//SRAM takes responsibility for the next generation through the Generation team.”

On a development pathway of her own, Steffi has gone from promising newcomer to a rider increasingly comfortable at the highest level, making her Grand Tour debut at the 2025 Giro d’Italia Women, claiming her first UCI podium at the long-standing Festival Elsy Jacobs in Luxembourg in 2026, and securing back-to-back Swiss road titles along the way.

There was also a neat full-circle moment at the 2026 Tour de Suisse, where Steffi produced another standout performance at the race that first put her on the road map, finishing sixth on the mountainous final stage and sixth overall against the world’s best stage-racing contenders – this time in the red-and-white Swiss champ livery.

Most recently, she claimed her maiden professional victory away from the National Championships, out-smarting and out-sprinting 10 breakaway companions at the UCI 1.1 Tour de Gatineau. She followed that with 13th in the Elite Women’s Road Race at the UCI World Championships, both results coming in Quebec, Canada. Since making the switch, she’s found plenty of inspiration amongst her current Swiss and SD Worx-Protime teammates, citing one rider in particular as a big source of admiration:

“Lorena Wiebes, because she can push herself extremely hard when it matters, but at the same time, she is a fair, straight-forward and funny person, with a certain ease.”

CANYON//SRAM Commercial Director Jonas Möslein is excited to bring a diamond like Steffi into the team – already shining brightly, yet with plenty of room to be polished further:

“Steffi has already shown an impressive level on the road, despite only making the full transition from mountain biking relatively recently. Her endurance, climbing strength and attacking style make her a very exciting rider that can immediately strengthen our squad, while still continuing to grow.

Beyond her sporting potential, but just as importantly, Steffi impressed throughout our conversations with her positive, ambitious and down-to-earth nature. She is joining us at an exciting point in both her own development, and the evolution of our team. We believe that she has the character and mindset to fit naturally into our culture, and to be a real asset both on and off the bike.”

Steffi’s road resume may still be relatively short, but CANYON//SRAM Performance Director Dan Fleeman has also identified plenty to work with.

“Steffi is a strong climber with a very good aerobic engine, and the consistent ability to stay competitive when races become long and physically demanding. Her strength is particularly evident on sustained climbs and across terrain that creates a lot of fatigue and attrition. She’ll be an important rider for the team in both stage and harder one-day races – whether supporting our leaders, or when the race suits her, having the opportunity to go for her own result. 

I believe that Steffi has more to unlock in terms of how she uses her climbing strengths in racing. With more experience and confidence, she can continue to improve her positioning and decision-making in the key moments, as well as her ability to follow and respond to the key moves. The goal is to help her to create more opportunities to compete for strong results herself.”

So, it’s all eyes on the road for Steffi from here, but she still values the discipline that first brought her to cycling.

“I very rarely miss mountain bike racing, but I still enjoy getting on the mountain bike from time to time. It’s a nice change from road training and especially in winter, it has many advantages,” she said.

Jonas added:

“Her mountain bike background provides a distinctive combination of resilience, technical ability and racing instinct, and we look forward to seeing those qualities develop even further on the road.”

Hailing from Münsterlingen, just a stone’s throw from Lake Constance – the body of water shared by Germany, Switzerland and Austria – Steffi reveals a wee bit more of what lies beneath the surface.

“I’m sometimes a little bit of a goofball, I study medicine, and I love drinking chocolate milk – it’s no problem for me to drink 1L straight!”

She now joins fellow new Swiss signing Jasmin Liechti, meaning CANYON//SRAM will have both Swiss national road race and time trial titles covered, at least for the opening stretch of the year.

Jonas concluded:

“We are very happy that Steffi has chosen to take this next step with CANYON//SRAM, and together with Jasmin Liechti, will bring some fresh Swiss spirit to the team!”

Photos: Wassim Farah (@life.is.a.holiday_)