Coming into their third year under the ownership of Sydney Uni Sport & Fitness, but previously the New South Wales Institute of Sport road team, the young line up is dedicated to holistic development of female riders. Ensuring that cycling is balanced carefully with their life and education.
The Sydney Uni Staminade team rounded out their 2019 season with an impressive third overall in the National Road Series (NRS). Their season was punctuated by Jessica Pratt taking the GC win at the Sam Miranda Tour of King Valley, which was a springboard to securing her a contract with elite team Canyon-SRAM.
With one Pratt graduating the team in 2019, team manager David Jordan added in her younger sister Emma, who is no stranger to competitive cycling. Emma Pratt joined the team for their big show at l’Etape late in 2019 and after showing some tenacity up the hills in the Snowy Mountains she’ll be one to keep an eye on in the Victorian Alps. At the very least it will be good spectating to watch the Pratt sisters face off, with Jess expected to be riding for the KordaMentha Real Estate line up
The team is well rounded again in 2020 with a series of strong mix of climbers and puncheurs to give them the depth needed to contend against the larger international teams.
One rider to keep an eye on is the Taswegian Nicole Frain. Freshly added to the roster off the back of a standout 2019 domestic season, she will be riding with the National Development Squad in January, before coming back to ride with the team for the Lexus of Blackburn Women’s Herald Sun Tour.
2019 saw the squad make their debut at our Tour, and we’re excited to welcome them back in 2020.
RIDER LIST
Nicole Frain – Her first year with the outfit, Frain is joining the team from St Lukes Health/Tasmania Institute of Sport Team. In addition to being a gun rider, Frain is in top form after finishing 5th on GC at the 2019 Tour of Tasmania in December. She is a strong addition to the line up.
Gina Ricardo – A long-serving member of the team, and a graduate of the University of Sydney. Riding mostly as a domestique, Gina won the Orica Kermesse in the Hunter Valley earlier this year, and heads to the Cape Epic in 2020 to show her skills off-road.
Georgia Miansarow – A rower who decided to commit to cycling less than 12 months ago and now finds herself riding in the elite ranks of cycling in Australia after coming through the Sydney Uni Velo Club’s Women’s Development program. She will be an important worker for the team.
Jen Darmody – Jen is a solicitor who saw the light, and in 2019 committed to riding more, moving to Canberra and taking up teaching law at university. She is also a graduate from the Sydney Uni Velo Club’s Women’s Development program.
Emma Pratt – No stranger to fast racing, Emma will be looking to forge her own path at this year’s Tour, the youngster from Queensland has been smashing the kilometres on Strava in the lead up to this year’s Tour. As she’s a newcomer to the elite ranks, we’ll be interested to see what she does in the hills.
Amy Vesty – The team’s international rider, she is currently undertaking altitude training in her homeland in New Zealand. Amy is also one of the original members of the team and is set to make a splash in 2020.
Directeur Sportif:
Vicki Whitelaw graduated from Sydney Uni with a Bachelor of Applied Science (Exercise and Sport Science) in 2000. She is now an accredited Exercise physiologist, a cycling coach, a bike fitter at “Winning Position”, a soft tissue therapist, a Pilates instructor and wife and mother to 2 kids. Not at all busy. She is a former professional cyclist and represented Australia at 4 X Road World Championships in the road race and time trial disciplines.
