Cat Ferguson has set her sights on a potential Tour de France Femmes debut in 2026, with the Movistar rider clear that selection will need to be earned through results rather than reputation.
Still only 20, Ferguson completed her first full season at WorldTour level in 2025, taking three victories and further underlining why she is regarded as one of Britain’s most exciting young talents. Speaking to Cycling Weekly, Ferguson acknowledged that the season was as much about learning her limits as it was about results.
“I’ve got to prove that I am one of the riders deserving of a place throughout the season, and show the team that I’m in good shape and that I can be an asset to them,” she said.
Giro d’Italia Women to decide Tour selection
Ferguson has identified the Giro d’Italia Women as the key gateway to a Tour de France Femmes selection, with Movistar’s hierarchy leaving most roster spots open beyond established leaders.
“Apart from Marlen [Reusser] and Liane [Lippert], everyone is a reserve,” Ferguson explained to Cycling Weekly. “I’ll do the Giro before and however I do there will decide if I go to the Tour or not.”
That clarity has helped focus her preparation for 2026, with the Giro now framed as both a personal target and a proving ground.
“The Giro is a big goal for me, and I hope I can improve to show that I’m good enough to go to the Tour as well.”
Photo Credit: GettyManaging fatigue after an intense first full pro year
While Ferguson’s debut WorldTour season included standout moments, it also exposed the physical demands of professional racing. She admitted that enthusiasm and inexperience led her into periods of overtraining.
“I think the combination of my first altitude camps, not knowing my limits, having so much time to ride my bike, and the excitement of being a first year pro meant that I put myself into a hole,” she said.
Despite this, Ferguson managed to turn her season around late on, winning a mountainous one-day race in southern Spain, a result that broadened perceptions of her capabilities.
“That win proved to me that I can be more versatile than I previously thought, and that’s the rider I’d love to be.”
Photo Credit: Olly Hassell/SWpix.comClassics ambitions and lessons from 2025
Before stage racing takes centre stage, Ferguson’s early 2026 objectives lie in the Classics. Her third place at Trofeo Alfredo Binda in 2025 came as a surprise even to her, particularly given the demands of positioning and race craft.
“I definitely came away from the spring thinking that the Italian races suited me more than I thought they did beforehand,” she told Cycling Weekly.
With a full winter of structured preparation behind her, Ferguson believes she can approach the Classics with greater physical readiness and tactical confidence.
Progress beyond results
Ferguson’s strongest block of form in 2025 came at the Tour of Britain Women, where she won a stage, claimed the points classification, and finished second overall. Yet she remains realistic about the wider trajectory of her development.
“I definitely made the biggest improvements mentally,” she said. “I still have way, way more to learn and I’ll continue making mistakes. But the ones I’ve already made I 100% won’t do again.”
Since turning professional with Movistar in late 2024, Ferguson has spoken openly about her desire to build a sustainable career rather than rush her progression. Living in Spain and embedding herself within the team environment has only reinforced that ambition.
“People ask what my long-term career goal is, and honestly, a big goal of mine is just to keep doing cycling,” she said. “I want to do it as long as my body lets me.”
For now, the immediate objective is clear. Strong performances at the Giro d’Italia Women could open the door to the Tour de France Femmes in 2026, marking the next step in what remains a carefully measured, but rapidly rising, career.
