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Mikayla Harvey from New Zealand on the ninth leg of the Giro Rosa tour in Italy, en route to Motta Montecorvino.
This story was originally posted on RNZ.co.nz and is being republished with permission.
Up-and-coming New Zealand riders Niamh Fisher-Black and Mikayla Harvey are looking for a new team after theirs was suddenly retired.
The women’s cycling team Paule Ka has ended its racing activities with immediate effect because its sponsor of the French fashion brand had not made payments since August.
Fisher-Black, the national road cycling champion, said they learned of the team’s problems early last week.
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“It was a huge shock to me. I wasn’t expecting it at all,” Fisher-Black said.
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“Our manager sat down with us in a meeting and basically told us and I was impressed. He was really disappointed.”
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Niamh Fisher-Black, left, of New Zealand and Equipe Paule Ka on the podium after finishing second on stage nine of the Giro Rosa.
Fisher-Black says Paule Ka has “had a great year,” with Harvey finishing fifth overall at the prestigious Giro Rosa.
“To be a small UCI team like we are and to be in fourth place in the world among all the women’s teams on the World Tour is crazy. It shows how good we were as a team.
“To think that our main sponsor no longer wants to support us is crazy.”
Paule Ka stepped in to sponsor the team in July after previous sponsors Bigla and Katusha withdrew funding amid the Covid-19 pandemic. They had been engaged until 2024, but only made one payment.
“It shows how vulnerable women’s cycling is. We depend a lot on our sponsors,” Fisher-Black said.
“This is my first year as a professional and I want to say that it has been quite difficult to say the least.
“I can only say that I have learned a lot from him. Now I am quite resilient and in the next few years I can say that I will do quite well.
“It can only be smoother, hopefully anyway.”
The riders were also initially hoping to save the team.
Luc Claessen / Getty Images
New Zealander Niamh Fisher-Black, left, ranks second behind France’s Evita Muzic in the sprint to the finish line on the ninth stage of the Giro Rosa women’s cycling tour in Italy.
“When we first found out … we had a few options then, but there were some comments and articles posted about some past issues with our management and I think that stopped all chances of us getting a new sponsor.”
Fisher-Black claims that none of the comments made about her manager Thomas Compana is true.
“I have been very happy in this team. He had never experienced something like this.
“So it’s painfully frustrating for people to say that, but there’s not much I can do.”
So Fisher-Black and Harvey are looking for a new team and new contracts.
“I’m not too stressed about it.
“We have had a good season this year, so our names are quite well known in the cycling world now.
“We are both very hopeful and confident that we will find something good next year. The teams are interested in us, so I think we are both in a good position.”
This story was originally posted on RNZ.co.nz and is being republished with permission.
