Roodhooft on a ‘milestone’ for Fenix-Deceuninck: ‘We’re on a train whizzing through the cycling landscape’ | Cycling

Fenix-Deceuninck is the first Belgian women’s team to hold a WorldTour license. “It’s an affirmation of the fact that we’re doing it the right way,” says Roodhooft.

“It doesn’t immediately make a huge difference for next year, but it’s kind of a sign of quality. It also forces us to work in a certain way.”

“It also indicates that we respect a certain minimum in terms of remuneration, which is not always the case with continental teams.”

According to Philip Roudhoft, this is another “milestone” for the team. “The WorldTour license means we’re on the train touring the cycling scene. Because women’s cycling is developing so well.”

“Belgium is a cycling country, so it’s good that we have one WorldTour team. In the Tour de France we were the only Belgian team and that’s not a good situation.”

A WorldTour license may be in your pocket, but Philip Roodhooft keeps his feet on the ground. “There are some teams that are still outstanding in terms of resources and sporting qualities,” he says.

“It is therefore not easy to express concrete sporting ambitions. We are now twelfth in the UCI ranking, so the intention is that we will do at least well in 2023. But I will not attach myself to the number of victories.”

“To say now: we want to win a stage in the Tour or to be on the podium in the classics, that cannot be planned.”

“Of course we’re looking forward to Paris-Roubaix, the Tour of Flanders, Stradi Bianche…but I don’t think it’s possible to get a result there against teams like SD Works and Trek-Segafredo.”

“In the long term, we want to take the position in the women’s scene that Alpecin-Dekoninck has with the men. We’re engaged in a day’s work and the goal is to do the same with the women.”