UAE TEAM ADQ

Following the extension of Eleonora Gasparrini last week, UAE Team ADQ is eager to announce the upcoming upgrade of a young talent Lara Gillespie from UAE Development Team to the WorldTour team.

In fact, the 23-year-old rider from the UAE Development Team will race in the World Tour team jersey starting on June 9th, 2024.
Lara Gillespie has already won this year the Antwerp Port Epic Ladies in Belgium as well as 2 stages and the final classification at the Giro del Mediterraneo in Rosa.
Lara considers herself more than just a sprinter. In fact, young rider has already shown this year that she knows how to breakaway as she demonstrated during the Giro del Mediterraneo in Rosa. She also has a good command over cobblestones and offroad.
Finally, Lara Gillespie is also excellent at track races. Thanks to her performances, the Irish national team won a historic qualification for the upcoming Olympics and twice finished fourth (team pursuit, omnium) at the Track European Championships.

Lara Gillespie about this important step in her career, which will tie her to UAE Team ADQ for the final 2024 season and the 2025 and 2026 seasons, said: “I am excited about this step forward in my career. I have had an amazing couple of years growing and learning how to race and win as a team with UAE Development Team and I am very grateful for these experiences. I have to thank all my teammates and staff, from whom I learnt a lot. And thanks also to the Irish Cycling Federation who supported me in balancing a multi-disciplinary career. I am really looking forward to continue on this pathway and enjoy the adventures that World Tour racing will bring me.”

Regarding her future, the champion of Ireland adds: “I look forward to integrating more and more and being part of a big project in the coming months and years. First of all, I have to focus on the Olympics with the Irish national track team in August, after which it will be great to finish the 2024 road season with some high-level races and really find my place in the new team. Over the next few years I want to learn more about myself and continue to develop, I think this is the perfect place to grow and become a successful and happy rider.”

Melissa Moncada, the President of UAE Team ADQ is proud to see Lara Gillespie upgrading to the WorldTour level: “Lara is a talent of our Development team, which makes the transfer very important to us while showing how we cultivate next generation of talents in house. She impressed us a lot this year, so it was a natural decision to proceed with the upgrade to the WorldTour team. After careful evaluation done by our Head of Sport Cherie Pridham, we have taken the decision that Lara is ready to join the WorldTour level. Together with Lara we have prepared an individual plan for her, which we believe suits her the best and we agreed on the contract until 2026.”
 

UAE Team ADQ is eager to announce the upcoming upgrade of a young talent Lara Gillespie from UAE Development Team to the WorldTour team.

Following the extension of Eleonora Gasparrini last week, UAE Team ADQ is eager to announce the upcoming upgrade of a young talent Lara Gillespie from UAE Development Team to the WorldTour team.

In fact, the 23-year-old rider from the UAE Development Team will race in the World Tour team jersey starting on June 9^th, 2024.

Lara Gillespie has already won this year the Antwerp Port Epic Ladies in Belgium as well as 2 stages and the final classification at the Giro del Mediterraneo in Rosa.

Lara considers herself more than just a sprinter. In fact, young rider has already shown this year that she knows how to breakaway as she demonstrated during the Giro del Mediterraneo in Rosa. She also has a good command over cobblestones and offroad. 

Finally, Lara Gillespie is also excellent at track races. Thanks to her performances, the Irish national team won a historic qualification for the upcoming Olympics and twice finished fourth (team pursuit, omnium) at the Track European Championships.

Lara Gillespie about this important step in her career, which will tie her to UAE Team ADQ for the final 2024 season and the 2025 and 2026 seasons, said: “I am excited about this step forward in my career. I have had an amazing couple of years growing and learning how to race and win as a team with UAE Development Team and I am very grateful for these experiences. I have to thank all my teammates and staff, from whom I learnt a lot. And thanks also to the Irish Cycling Federation who supported me in balancing a multi-disciplinary career. I am really looking forward to continue on this pathway and enjoy the adventures that World Tour racing will bring me.”

Regarding her future, the champion of Ireland adds: “I look forward to integrating more and more and being part of a big project in the coming months and years. First of all, I have to focus on the Olympics with the Irish national track team in August, after which it will be great to finish the 2024 road season with some high-level races and really find my place in the new team. Over the next few years I want to learn more about myself and continue to develop, I think this is the perfect place to grow and become a successful and happy rider.”

Melissa Moncada, the President of UAE Team ADQ is proud to see Lara Gillespie upgrading to the WorldTour level: “Lara is a talent of our Development team, which makes the transfer very important to us while showing how we cultivate next generation of talents in house. She impressed us a lot this year, so it was a natural decision to proceed with the upgrade to the WorldTour team. After careful evaluation done by our Head of Sport Cherie Pridham, we have taken the decision that Lara is ready to join the WorldTour level. Together with Lara we have prepared an individual plan for her, which we believe suits her the best and we agreed on the contract until 2026.”

(ph. Arianna Bonaita)