Lidl-Trek continues to strengthen its women's team with a top young prospect and signed a three-year contract with junior time trial World champion Felicity Wilson Huffenden at just 18 years old.

Wilson-Haffenden is a specialist in countering the clock on both roads and tracks, claiming the title of individual time trial at the 2023 national, Continental and World Championships.The latter comes before fellow top talent and future teammate Izzy Sharp.

The Australian was praised for her resilience in Scotland after bouncing back to the world title in a time trial just 5 days after a crash in the Junior Road race.

Sharp has signed with Lidl-Trek at the same time as Canadian twins Ava and Isabella Holmgren, with Fleur Moors and the latest rider to join the American team. All 4 of them are also just 18. The willingness to sign and develop riders from the junior level was key in persuading Wilson-Huffenden to join.

"When choosing my first team, I felt it was really important to go to a development-focused place, which gave me the opportunity to learn and grow as a bike rider and person," Wilson-Haffenden said.

"The inclusion of a number of riders coming straight from the junior ranks further confirmed that Lidl-Trek was the right team for me, with a great combination of talented and experienced role models to connect with and learn from and enjoy in my first year at Propelton.

"I am keen to develop my tactical skills within the Peloton and learn how to negotiate technical courses with a larger bunch. As an individual, I want to grow as a person, move around the world and learn how to live and train professionally."

Young Australians were delighted with the possibility of joining one of the best teams in the Women's Propeloton 1, and some of Australia's most experienced riders were also on the roster at Brody Chapman and Amanda Spratt in 2024.

"I don't think the transition to the professional ranks will be easy, but with the guidance and support of Lidl-Trek, I have the best network around me to make it a success." I'm so excited about it.

"I feel incredibly lucky to join a team of such a high caliber of riders that I can learn, it's hard to name one person so often that I'm excited to ride with!

"I'm very excited to race with Izzy [Sharp], Ava and Isabella [Holmgren] in my first year of peers under the age of 23.

Wilson-Haffenden can pick the brains of former world champions Lizzie Deignan and Ellen van Dijk to help him develop into the professional ranks in his first years at lidl-Trek.

"Felicity is a rider with great potential and I'm excited to see her do the work to achieve it," said Lidl-Trek sports director Ina-Yoko Teutenberg.

"Moving around the world at such a young age is a difficult prospect, but we are not only role models who are making the same moves, like Lauretta and Brodie, but also similar projects.”