Ruth Edwards has confirmed she is expecting her first child, sharing the news with a simple ultrasound image and the caption: “Been pretty busy this off season.” The announcement arrives only a few months after the most significant ride of her career at the Tour de France Femmes, where she sprinted into third place in Chambéry. That moment marked a turning point for the Human Powered Health rider; today’s news adds an entirely new dimension to her story.
The reaction across the peloton was immediate and warm. Riders including Alison Jackson, Leah Kirchmann, Kaia Schmid and Barbara Malcotti were among the first to congratulate her publicly.
Photo Credit: Tim de Waele/Getty ImagesA Tour performance that defined her return
Edwards’ podium in Chambéry was one of the defining performances of the 2025 edition. She was part of a 17-rider break that formed early after a relentless first hour of racing. With riders of the calibre of Lotte Kopecky, Chloé Dygert, Shirin van Anrooij and Sara Meijering present, the group built a sizeable lead before the peloton began its chase.
The decisive point came on the Col du Granier. Edwards held firm as the pace rose, following the moves of Maëva Squiban and Meijering while the group fractured on the upper slopes. Squiban pushed clear, but Edwards stayed committed. She refused to look behind, choosing instead to follow every surge and keep her rhythm.
A composed descent carried her clear of Meijering. She held off the GC group behind and then battled van Anrooij for second before Cédrine Kerbaol swept past in the final moments with a late charge. Even so, third place was a career-best at this race and secured Human Powered Health’s first-ever podium finish at the Tour de France Femmes.
A comeback built on balance and renewed motivation
Edwards’ resurgence has been one of the more compelling arcs in the women’s peloton. She retired at the end of 2021 after a season that included wins at Brabantse Pijl and stages of the Tour de l’Ardèche, alongside podium finishes at Navarra and San Sebastián. Like many, she reached a point where the endless travel and time away from home weighed heavily.
She returned to the United States, raced gravel events, and found a healthier balance away from the WorldTour. A second place at the Leadville Race Series showed the engine was still there, even if the environment was different.
By 2024, she was ready to commit again, signing with Human Powered Health. Her results came quickly: overall victory at Thüringen, fourth at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, and a string of strong rides that confirmed she had lost none of the qualities that once made her a regular contender.
Team performance manager Kenny Latomme said at the time that Edwards had previously been racing at a level “very close to Demi Vollering”, a line that has only grown more relevant as her comeback gathered pace.
A new chapter begins
Human Powered Health have not yet set out what Edwards’ 2026 season might look like, but the timing of her announcement gives her space to step into the next months with a clear focus. Her pregnancy marks a new chapter, yet it arrives on the back of a season where she re-established herself as one of the peloton’s most reliable and rounded riders.
For someone who rebuilt her career with patience and perspective, this latest milestone fits naturally into her story. Her podium in Chambéry showed she could still shape the biggest races. Now, as she enters a different phase of life, she does so with the same calm resolve and optimism that defined her return.
