Lotto Dstny Ladies have announced the signing of two new riders for the upcoming 2025 season: German track and road cyclist Lea Lin Teutenberg and 21-year-old Mexican climber Romina Hinojosa. While Teutenberg has signed for one year, Hinojosa has secured a two-season contract with the Belgian outfit.
Teutenberg’s challenges and ambitions
Teutenberg, who has raced for Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team since her debut in 2018, is currently concluding her 2024 race calendar at the Track World Championships in Copenhagen. Reflecting on her year, she admitted it had been a turbulent one. “I’ve had lots of ups and downs this year,” she shared, noting that while she started with a silver medal in the elimination race in January, a series of crashes had disrupted her season. “I was unlucky, but I kept going,” she said.
Despite these setbacks, Teutenberg is optimistic about joining Lotto Dstny, saying, “I’m looking forward to this new challenge with the Lotto Dstny Ladies Team.” She hopes to bring her experience to help the younger riders, while also aiming for personal success. “I want to develop myself further and maybe also give some tips to the younger girls in the team next year. I like the fast flatter races, with my track background. I hope to help the team as much as possible, but I also want to score myself.”
The German rider comes from a well-known cycling family. Her father, Dirk Teutenberg, was a professional cyclist, and her brother, Maximilian Teutenberg, is also active in the sport. Sports Manager Kurt Van de Wouwer acknowledged the value of her family background, commenting, “She can bring a lot of experience to our team, tactically and skill-wise. I’m certain she can get into the finals.”
Hinojosa’s rise and dream
For Hinojosa, joining a European team represents a significant milestone in her young career. She is currently enjoying the off-season in Mexico, where she was born and previously trained as a gymnast before switching to cycling. “I will stay in Mexico now until the first training camp in January. Then I’ll go back to Europe and I’ll probably live in San Marino,” she said.
Hinojosa, who spent this year racing for Boneshaker Project and later A.R. Monex Pro Cycling Team, is proud of her development, despite a season without a big major win but plenty of top-10 results. “I’m really proud of my season, not because of my results but because of everything I learned about myself and cycling,” she explained.
Excited to be joining Lotto Dstny, Hinojosa recognises the opportunity it presents, saying, “I know this is a huge step. Not a lot of Mexicans can say they are able to join a continental team in Europe. I’m really happy that I can continue to pursue my dream, despite the obstacles I’ve had. I’m still studying nutrition, but online, so I can focus on riding my bike, what I love the most.”
Hinojosa has already shown promise as a climber, with strong performances in races like the Tour de l’Avenir Femmes, where she finished 12th overall, and the Giro Toscana Femminile, where she placed 7th. Van de Wouwer is confident in her potential, adding, “Romina is a climbing type, she is still very young and we expect to see her grow. We will help her as much as possible in that process.”
