Letizia Paternoster joined Team BikeExchange-Jayco on a two-year contract running through to the end of 2024, giving the team another high-level sprint option with proven pedigree on both road and track.
Even at 23, the Italian already brought a substantial list of results. She had won on the road, claimed major podiums in top-level races, and developed into a multiple world and European champion on the track. That combination of finishing speed, race craft and experience made her an important signing for a squad looking to become more competitive in fast finishes and selective one-day races.
The move also suited the team’s broader direction. With continued backing in place from owner Gerry Ryan through to 2025, Team BikeExchange-Jayco was clearly building with purpose, and Paternoster added both immediate firepower and long-term value. She offered another route to victory in bunch sprints, while also giving the team a rider capable of surviving harder races and still delivering a result.
Brent Copeland, the team’s general manager, described her as a rider with both established quality and significant room for further progress.
“There is no doubting it that Letizia is a huge talent, and it is hard to believe her age with the number of results she has already achieved. It is always exciting signing a rider like this that has so much experience but also so much potential still to give.
We feel that Letizia will fit in very well in the women’s squad and it is exciting for us to be bringing on such a fast finisher that will give the team many more options to challenge for top results across the women’s WorldTour calendar.”
Paternoster said she was eager to begin the next chapter of her career and confident she would settle into the team quickly.
“I am very happy and excited about beginning the new season with GreenEDGE Cycling, I can’t wait to get started. I am extremely motivated to do well and with this new experience I am sure we will achieve great results.
From what I have seen and what I heard; I am confident that I will find my place with Team BikeExchange-Jayco. I look forward to meeting all my new teammates and building a strong relationship with all of them and I hope we will achieve important results together. I just need to hold on with my excitement and grit a bit longer before the new season will begin.”
Her best results up to that point included victory on stage 1 of the Santos Tour Down Under in 2019, the European road race title the same year, the overall classification at Festival Elsy Jacobs in 2018, and a podium at Gent-Wevelgem in 2019. On the track, she also added two notable wins in 2022 with success in the 3km pursuit at the Cali Track World Cup and the elimination race at the Track World Championships.
