Lauren Stephens puts leg injury behind her to focus on new chapter with Tibco-SVB

20 March 2019 01:45
Lauren Stephens had stepped away from her long-time position with Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank in the hopes of finding a new pathway to progress with Cylance Pro Cycling in 2018. For all her good intentions, however, her season was affected by a debilitating leg injury and then ended with the title sponsor re-assigning its funds to another women's team, effectively ending the American programme altogether. Tibco-SVB's team owner Linda Jackson welcomed Stephens back with open arms, and the all-rounder is now healthy and looking forward to creating a more favourable outcome to 2019. "Coming back to this team after a year, I thought it would be like coming to a new team," Stephens wrote in an email to Cyclingnews. "There has been a lot of change with only four of the same riders from 2017 and a completely new staff. It has been great, though, as this team has welcomed me [back] like I never left. The transition has been much smoother than I anticipated." Stephens joined Tibco-SVB at an opening training camp in February at the title sponsor's headquarters in California. This year's roster includes Megan Guarnier, Lex Albrecht, Nicole Bruderer, Brodie Chapman, Alice Cobb, Ingrid Drexel, Alison Jackson, Nina Kessler, Sharlotte Lucas, Shannon Malseed, Emily Newsom, Rozanne Slik and Kendall Ryan. The team have also hired former pro Rachel Hedderman as their head director for the 2019 season.ADVERTISEMENT Stephens had spent five seasons with Jackson's programme beginning with her first pro contract in 2013, only leaving for a new position at Cylance in 2018. She had a good start under the team's manager Omer Kem and director Manel Lacambra, placing second overall at the Women's Tour Down Under. A crash during the final stage caused damage to the soft tissue in her leg and it took her most of the season to recover. "Last year, I was very excited to race for Cylance and Manel Lacambra," Stephens said. "Manel had been my director during the first year that I was on Tibco. I was at a point in my career where I felt I needed a change in my environment to continue to progress. "In Australia, I started strong with my new team finishing second in the GC at Tour Down Under. Unfortunately, I crashed hard in the final stage. Although I was able to get back on the bike and finish the stage in the group, I was far from alright. You can read more at Cyclingnews.com.read full article

Source: Cycling News