Team riders depart from British Continental squad amidst persistent doubt regarding license renewal
In an unexpected turn of events, Hess Cycling, the British Continental team with ambitious plans to become 'Britain's leading professional women's cycling team', has shut down with immediate effect in 2025 due to financial and legal troubles. The team, founded in 2023 under a Luxembourg licence, made headlines for its substantial first-year budget of €750,000 (£650,000), more than six times that of other British women's teams. The team's stated ambition was to grow its budget to €5million (£4.3million) within five years. However, the team's registration at the UCI was significantly delayed into March 2025, postponing the team's debut. A report in January 2025 in Swiss publication Inside Parade Platz laid out allegations against team owner Rolf Hess and his associates. The team dismissed these allegations as a 'smear campaign'. Hess Cycling registered as a British team for the 2024 season and unveiled its kit for the 2025 season in early April. The new jersey carried the 'UCI Women's Continental Team' logo, which was not established at the time. Despite the delays and allegations, the team was expected to start its season next weekend at the Midwest Classic in Belgium. However, the team has not competed in any events in 2025. Hess Cycling's website currently states 'Coming soon'. The team's roster has seen some changes, with Esther Wong joining Irish club team Torelli and Laura Lizette Sander joining Norwegian Continental outfit Coop-Repsol. The shutdown of Hess Cycling marks the end of its ambitions to compete at this summer's Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, which it had pledged two years ago. The team's owner, Rolf Hess, faces allegations of fraud in Spain, which he denies. As the cycling community grapples with this unexpected turn of events, the focus now shifts to the future of women's professional cycling in Britain and the potential impact of Hess Cycling's sudden departure.
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