Team SD Worx – Protime strengthens its ranks with Cédrine Kerbaol

Team SD Worx – Protime has signed Cédrine Kerbaol until 2028. With the signing of the 25-year-old Frenchwoman, the team has secured the reinforcement it was looking for. In the recent Tour de France Femmes, Kerbaol finished sixth in the general classification, a result that made her the best French rider in the home race. “With her climbing ability and, above all, her attacking riding style, she is a rider who fits in perfectly with our team. I am delighted that we have signed her for the next two seasons,” said sporting director Danny Stam.

Following the spring of 2025, the management of Team SD Worx – Protime conducted a thorough analysis of developments in women’s cycling and how the team should adapt to them. One of the conclusions was that, just as in men’s cycling, the number of metres of elevation gain in races is only increasing, and that the team must therefore focus more on riders who are strong on the climbs.

“For the coming years, we now have four riders – Anna van der Breggen, Cédrine Kerbaol, Nienke Vinke and Valentina Cavallar – who can keep up with the best on the climbs,” emphasises team manager Erwin Janssen. “For the Grand Tours, this is a strong group capable of competing for the top prizes. But you can also see in other races that there are more races being decided on the climbs. That is why we have deliberately invested in good climbers.”

Stam has been following Kerbaol closely in recent years. “Cédrine is truly a rider after our own hearts: someone who dares to race and break up races. In recent years, she has proven that she has reached the very top of women’s cycling. This year, she finished sixth overall in the Tour de France Femmes and second in the Tour de Suisse. In virtually every stage race she enters, she finishes in the top ten. At 25 years of age, we’re also convinced she can still take her cycling to the next level.”

Stam confirms that Team SD Worx – Protime was still looking for an additional climber: “On the climbs, Cédrine is among the very best. What also appeals to me is that she dares to take the initiative in a race. It’s not as though she just sees how long she can hang on on the climbs. No, she prefers to be the one to light the fuse in the race. And that is exactly the DNA of our team. We always focus on our own opportunities and try to dictate the race wherever possible. I’m looking forward to working with Cédrine. Especially now that we have a strong climbing group again, this opens up new possibilities for the team.”

“This feels like the logical next step in my career,” says Kerbaol. “Every team I’ve been part of throughout my career has increasingly matched my ever-growing ambitions. At Team SD Worx-Protime, I’ve found a squad of incredibly strong riders. What immediately appealed to me was Danny Stam’s genuine interest in how I want to approach things myself and how the team can support me in this. I felt heard straight away.”

“Team SD Worx-Protime’s DNA fits perfectly with my racing style. I love to race aggressively and take the initiative myself. That’s why I admire riders like Lotte Kopecky and Anna van der Breggen. They can appear calm on the outside in the peloton, and just when you least expect it, they launch a decisive breakaway. Their ability to break open a race at just the right moment really appeals to me. I’d rather race in an exciting way and go all out for the win – even at the risk of losing – than play it safe for an average result. That’s also this team’s racing philosophy. Furthermore, the team is very strong across the board. I’m also looking forward to shaping the race to our advantage alongside all these strong riders.”

“Before I made my decision, I spoke to Anna van der Breggen. She’s already had a brilliant career and knows exactly how to compete strongly in the general classification. Her experience as a GC rider convinced me that this is the right environment for me to develop further as a stage racer. I’m actually still at the very start of my career. I’ll be able to learn a lot from her and from the team to become a better stage racer.”

The Frenchwoman has already shown on several occasions that she can compete with the world’s best. For instance, she finished sixth twice and eighth once in the general classification of the Tour de France Femmes. In 2024, she also won a stage in the Tour. She finished fourth in the Vuelta Femenina last year. “My ambition is to get the best out of myself and, in time, to compete for overall victory in the Grand Tours. My stage win and two sixth-place finishes in the general classification of the Tour de France Femmes have left me wanting more. I also dream of winning classics such as Strade Bianche and Liège–Bastogne–Liège. I already finished fourth in the latter classic last year.”

Kerbaol came away with a positive impression from her first meeting with the team members. “I enjoy meeting new people, discovering new cultures and learning languages. Now that I’m going to be riding for a Dutch team, I’ve already started learning Dutch. I’m looking forward to wearing this team’s colours and am determined to make the most of my career in the years to come.”