Kate Courtney Is Loving Road Racing – And Winning Already At FDJ United-Suez

Kate Courtney has already got her arms up in the air as a newly-minted FDJ United-Suez rider, even while being deep in “learning mode” about road racing after her pivot from mountain biking.

The American is immersing herself in European bike racing culture. Last week, in three corner-strewn, cobbled kermesse races in the Belgian towns of Kanegem and Erpe-Mere against big fields, she won twice and finished second in another.

“I loved it,” she told Velo Friday evening on the eve of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift grand départ. “I went to Belgium to learn – and to demonstrate my desire to learn – and to go to a place that has had such a role in the history of the sport, where I knew a lot of the weaknesses I had in terms of bunch dynamics would be exposed.

“And it would give me a chance to work on those. But I did not expect to have such a fun experience racing.”

While the kermesses are not UCI-ratified events, they are part of the fabric of Belgian bike racing, taking place throughout the week. Courtney got a sense of the renowned atmosphere at these traditional races around town centers, signing on in dark bars and seeing the whole place turn out to watch.

“I think it really brought me back to what racing felt like as a kid, where you’re throwing attacks and having fun out there with low pressure, but with a lot of heart,” she added.

“I think we had over 110 riders in the three races I did, which is pretty big for a Wednesday night women’s race!”

While it is what she modestly calls “starting at the bottom”, Courtney has started as she means to go on: by winning.

Nerves before the first race for FDJ United-Suez

On the start line in Deinze, racing in the kit for new team FDJ United-Suez for the first time, Courtney felt the nerves. “Honestly, it was challenging mid-season to like make such a big change and then have races that probably I was not set up necessarily to perform at my best in, with so much change, newness, travel and new equipment.”

“And I think  it really demonstrated to me: one, that I’m in the right team and the right place. Because I felt extremely supported in that learning process. And two, it’s just really inspiring. I started to get a picture of what the challenge is and and what I’ll need to do to be successful within this new environment.”

The best part for Courtney has been working together as a unit, something she says she has never experienced before. Teammates rallied around her, giving tips and water bottles when she dropped one.

A crucial confidence boost

Courtney is no stranger to the podium on the tarmac, winning US Nationals and a stage of the Tour de Feminin in Czechia. However, as she embarks on the road racing journey, the two latest victories gave Courtney a lot of confidence and helped her “to see that my technical skills carry over. I respect the challenge and different skillset that road requires.”

“In Belgium on flat courses with cobbles, with cracks, with wind and huge pelotons, I was quite nervous to go into that environment. I thought ‘will I go to Belgium, crash and get hurt in week two?’

“To see actually, no, I’m very confident on my bike and really comfortable technically … it was less about the result on paper and more about the feeling on the bike when I was there, which will be very beneficial for me moving forward.”

Learning little skills to race the big dogs soon

It’s all part of the “whirlwind” experience since signing for FDJ United-Suez, meeting the team, looking for houses in Europe ahead of 2027, collaborating with a high performance team for which she feels lucky. “They’re really helping me to understand how I break down a course, how I ride to a plan, how I work within the team. Even simple things like using the radio or navigating feed zones are quite different in a road race.”

“And right now, as much as I want to be getting that extra watt, going to altitude and training really hard, the things that are going to make a big difference in my trajectory and long-term projection are learning the ins and outs of those little skills, and being able to master the strategy behind the scenes.”

Courtney is at the Tour de France Femmes start in Lausanne, supporting her teammates and soaking it all in at the sport’s pinnacle race.

“I will only watch the first two stages, and hopefully will get in the car with some of our DSs and be able to see some behind the scenes of what goes on in the peloton, but also like that strategy piece, how the team works and how they prepare for one of the biggest goals of the season.”

A free hit at the World Champs

This summer, Courtney is focusing on weaknesses, pack skills, technical skills and tactics that will help her to fulfill her potential. She is expected to race at the Tour of Britain (August 19-23) with FDJ United-Suez.

“I’m really focused on just laying a strong foundation for next year. I think a lot of the investments we’re making right now are things that will allow us to actually make changes to my performance in the fall. We’re collecting the data and we’ll be able to act on it.”

However, there are already races to aim for at the end of the year, such as late September’s World Championships road race in Montréal. “I don’t think I can even put a results goal to that. I think that there’s a lot of freedom for that in that for me,” she said.

“In many ways as athletes, we try to trick ourselves into not having these outcome goals, right, and to focus on the process. It actually just sets me up well to do that because I can’t, I don’t know enough in order to be able to set really hard, numerical goals. That’s actually a really great place to be.”

Grand Tour and Classics hopes

In 2027, Courtney said she hopes to race a grand tour and spring Classics. Endurance suffer-fests like Strade Bianche, Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix might come to mind as potentially suited to the durable mountain biking star. Asked of races she was dreaming of doing, she opted not to name one.

“Leaving things a bit open, being curious and flexible about what I’m ready for is the best thing that could possibly happen for me right now,” she said. “I feel like the team is protecting me in that learning process, giving me the opportunity to stretch my skillset.

“When I demonstrate I’m comfortable or ready for this, I’m going to get responsibility and those opportunities.

“But they’re not just throwing me to the wolves. We are partners in helping me to become the best athlete I can be. And hopefully, if I deserve to be on the team, I’ll make it.”