The first winner of the Women’s Tour Down Under, Valentina Scandolara, is setting up a uniquely-funded team, the Down Under Academy, for young and developing Australian and New Zealander cyclists to make their way into European racing.
A number of women’s teams have ceased running in recent years around Australia and New Zealand, with young, aspiring female athletes needing to take it upon themselves to organise and support themselves to get a shot at racing in Europe.
Scandolara developed within the Italian racing system and has spent a lot of time out in Australia from when she first joined the Greenedge team (now Jayco Alula), winning the Santos Women’s Tour, the earliest incarnation of the Women’s Tour Down Under, and the Bay Crits twice. Seeing firsthand the talent in local racing, Scandolara is keen to give developing cyclists an opportunity to join an Italian community in her local area near Verona to train and race in European competition.
“Sport shaped my entire life,” said Scandolara. “Cycling in particular, gave me incredible opportunities, brought me everywhere in the world, on the highest peaks and lowest valleys (literally and figuratively) and I am a much better person because of all of that. I’m not done with racing yet, but it’s a few years that I am thinking to start to give back to my sport.
“Growing up in Italy, things are a little bit easier if you want to pursue cycling: already in U15, we race in big bunches of 120-140 riders, on tiny roads, and we already learn team tactics. We grow up in this environment and talent comes out naturally from the sheer number of riders we have.
“In Australia, I’m more and more amazed by how much talent comes out from a relatively small (in comparison) number of riders. Talking with the girls and with the coaches, I see there’s a need for projects like this, that offer opportunities to experience a different style of racing and to be noticed by UCI teams over there, so I am keen on being a small part of the solution, especially now that women’s cycling at the highest level is booming and offering higher pay and viable careers to the next generation.”
“We fought hard for this, it’s nice to see it finally happening, but we need to keep supporting the roots, not just focus on the top athletes of the moment.”
The Down Under Academy team will be directed by Luisiana Pegoraro, a former stage-winner in the Grande Boucle Feminine International (Women’s Tour de France) and Women’s Giro D’Italia and an experienced director in elite women’s teams for many years. The team will participate in a series of Italian open races and if selected, a number of UCI races in France and Switzerland.
“The plan as it stands now is to bring two different groups of riders in Italy for a two months period each,” said Scandolara. “Long enough to have a good crack at this kind of races, short enough not to get the negative impact of an early long period away from home, and school or university. That way, it’s also easier for coaches to plan for a good period of form.”
“I’d like the participants to have an experience that will stay with them for their whole lives, and build a sustainable project that enriches both them and the local communities they’ll live in. Isolation is a big problem when you go and live far from home to pursue your dreams, so I would like to build a community around the team that emphasises friendship, support, participation in local events and culture.”
The team has some initial funding secured, but is looking for more partners to join to support the project, and also will also use the proceeds from a Bike Tour Company founded by Valentina, running Bike Tours within Italy to support the team. This will include gravel tours, incredible classic experiences like L’Eroica and La Vinaria on vintage bikes, and private tours under the Kalimera Bike Tours name.
“Unfortunately, after Covid we lost some of the sponsors I had found, and the project at the moment can’t completely self-sustain. I don’t want to wait further though, after two years of virtually no racing for many young riders, I feel this needs to happen now.
“As things are now, the girls will have to contribute to their stay, it’s not a huge commitment but it is what it is unfortunately. With some friends, we created a Bike Tour Company (also a project that has been brewing from before Covid), and we’ll use some of the proceedings to fund the team.
“So, cycling enthusiasts (or not) can join us, have a great holiday and help out the girls at the same time. We’re welcoming new sponsors too of course, hoping that in the future we can run all this without asking for riders to have to contribute to the expenses of running the team.”
The opportunity is open to all female cyclists looking to develop experience in international racing in a knowledgeable, supported environment in 2023 and they can
