A major transfer coup for FDJ UNITED-SUEZ, which announces the signing of Kate Courtney, 2026 United States road cycling champion, effective immediately through December 2028.

A complete athlete and prominent figure in the global mountain biking world, she hails from Marin County, California, the heartland of her preferred discipline. A Stanford University biology graduate, Kate has distinguished herself by becoming world champion in mountain bike cross-country in 2018 and winning the UCI World Cup overall classification in 2019 in the same discipline.

In 2025, Kate claimed the world championship title in mountain bike cross-country marathon, demonstrating the breadth of her physical capabilities over longer distances.

Recently, Kate Courtney has taken on one of the greatest challenges of her sporting career, competing in her first road race since she was 16 years old. A gamble that paid off handsomely, as she won that very race during the fourth stage of the Tour de Feminin held in the Czech Republic on a demanding course.

On June 26th in Charleston, United States, Kate claimed her first national road cycling championship title, confirming her multidisciplinary talent.

Kate Courtney is also an athlete committed to advancing women's participation in mountain biking. This ambition drives the work of the "She Sends Foundation", which she founded in 2023.

"Kate is an extraordinary athlete with a particularly promising profile in short and demanding races. We will have the privilege of accompanying her in her discovery of European cycling. FDJ UNITED-SUEZ has always had the vocation to welcome athletes who have established themselves in disciplines other than road cycling. It is precisely this mix of worlds and cultures that allows our team to grow, in our pursuit of maximum performance and our ambition to leave a mark on women's sport," commented Stephen Delcourt, General Manager of FDJ UNITED-SUEZ.

"It's difficult to put into words what I'm experiencing right now, because I didn't expect to reach the World Tour level so quickly. I am extremely motivated by the idea of facing this immense challenge, to truly discover what I'm capable of, as an athlete and as a woman, in this final chapter of my career. I am deeply grateful to Stephen and the entire team for recognizing my potential and offering me this opportunity to pursue such an ambitious dream," said Kate Courtney. "It's easy to see, even from the outside, that FDJ UNITED-SUEZ is building something truly exceptional. The way the team races — with grit, boldness, and complete mutual trust — has always inspired me as a fan. And today it inspires me even more as a cyclist. I have the feeling that I've found the team environment I've been looking for since the beginning of my career, and I couldn't be more excited about the prospect of learning, improving, and pursuing one of the most ambitious goals of my sporting life."

Kate Courtney will make her debut in the team's colors at La Périgord Ladies, the Picto-Charentaise, and the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women.