Double junior world champion Cat Ferguson is poised to make her debut at the prestigious Paris-Roubaix Femmes in April, marking a significant milestone in her first year as a professional cyclist.
At just 18 years old, Ferguson will join the ranks of some of the youngest competitors ever to take on the legendary cobbled Monument. Her appearance at Paris-Roubaix will be a highlight in a packed calendar for 2025, which begins with Milan-San Remo later this month.
In an interview with Cycling Weekly, Ferguson shared her excitement about the upcoming season. “It’s crazy,” said the Movistar rider. “I think it’s incredible to just be in the position I am, but to be doing a race like Roubaix, I can’t tell you how excited I am to be able to do that race.”
She also expressed the significance of competing alongside fellow rising stars, Carys Lloyd (Movistar) and Imogen Wolff (Visma-Lease a Bike), all of whom will be making their Paris-Roubaix debuts in their first pro year. “For the three of us to do a race like that in our first year as pros together is really special. We’ve come through the ranks from under-14s and now we’re doing Paris-Roubaix at 18,” Ferguson said. “It’s going to be incredible. Hopefully, I can make it to the velodrome – that’s my aim.”
Ferguson turned heads in the cycling world last autumn, winning two of her first four professional races while riding as a stagiaire for Movistar. She also claimed both the junior road race and time trial titles at the UCI World Championships, becoming the first rider since Zoe Bäckstedt in 2022 to achieve this remarkable double.
Having competed in cyclo-cross during the winter, Ferguson’s road debut for 2025 will take place at the inaugural women’s Milan-San Remo on March 22. Although the route has yet to be released, Ferguson joked, “It’s probably the longest race of the year. I’m not feeling fit enough yet to want to know how long it is.”
Following Milan-San Remo, Ferguson’s schedule includes several one-day Classics, including Gent-Wevelgem, Flèche Wallonne, and Brabantse Pijl. She will also take part in stage races in Spain and the highly anticipated Tour of Britain.
“I’m really looking forward to the Tour of Britain,” Ferguson said. “I don’t know the route for that, but I’m hoping there’s a stage in Yorkshire. Getting some friends and family out to watch would be really special. And it’s the only [WorldTour] race that there is for women in Britain, so I’m excited for it.”
While her programme for the second half of the year remains undecided, Ferguson expressed her gratitude for the opportunities ahead. “It’s a balance of wanting to push me and show me what the level is, with races like Roubaix, but also not absolutely hammering me and doing all the big races,” she explained. “It’s also a nice balance that I will do some smaller races, where hopefully I can be a little bit more at the front, or survive for a little bit longer.”
Paris-Roubaix Femmes will take place on April 12, just two weeks before Ferguson’s 19th birthday.
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