After a brief hiatus, LKT Team Brandenburg is making a comeback to the international cycling scene in 2024, this time focusing on women’s cycling. Managed by Steffen Blochwitz, the team has acquired a “UCI Women’s Continental Team” license with aspirations to compete at both national and international levels. This shift towards a women’s team is seen as a timely move given the recent boom in women’s cycling globally.
Historically from 2007 to 2020, LKT Team Brandenburg was a men’s team, serving as a stepping stone for young male talents. Blochwitz recalls that their primary sponsor, Michael Müller, had envisioned a women’s team back in 2007. However, the men’s team was solidified following Roger Kluge’s Olympic silver medal win in 2008.
In its new guise, the team is committed to filling a gap in the women’s sport. “We want to offer talented young German women an additional platform and see our team as a stepping stone from a good junior to a successful professional rider,” Blochwitz elaborated. A maximum of 10 riders will make up the squad, eight of whom have already been selected, including Lena Charlotte Reißner, a 2021 European Champion in team pursuit.
Veteran cyclists Stephanie Gaumnitz and Trixi Worrack have joined as sports directors, bringing invaluable expertise to the fledgeling team. The pair have a wealth of experience between them, from Gaumnitz’s 2015 World Champion title in the Points Race to Worrack’s five appearances in the Olympics and multiple World Championships in team time-trial.
The team’s goals for its inaugural year are modest but promising. Blochwitz describes them as a developmental team, seeking to provide a professional and familial environment. While they aim to participate in races primarily in Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic, the focus is less on immediate triumphs and more on long-term athlete development.
The relaunch of LKT Team Brandenburg as a women’s team is seen as a significant milestone in women’s cycling, especially in Germany. Amidst the global upswing in women’s cycling, with landmark events like a Tour de France Femmes, LKT Team Brandenburg aims to be more than a footnote. They seek to actively contribute to the narrative, beginning with their first team meeting in Thuringen this November and their seasonal debut at the “Istrien Spring Trophy” in Croatia in spring 2024.
