After nearly two decades in the women’s road peloton, Romy Kasper will open a new chapter in 2026, signing with Pas Normal Studios Racing to focus fully on gravel racing. It marks a major shift for one of the peloton’s most experienced and respected riders, who has been part of the professional road scene since 2007 and ridden for some of the biggest teams of the era.
Kasper, now 37, brings a depth of experience few riders in the gravel scene can match. Her career spans WorldTour leadership roles, classics campaigns, tactical road captaincy, and a long history of resilience in a sport where she has endured – and overcome – more than her fair share of setbacks.
Photo Credit: Valentin BoecklerA career defined by longevity, teamwork and toughness
Kasper’s path into the professional ranks began with early promise on the track. As a junior, she won the German points race title and placed 12th at the junior world championships. By 2009, she had turned professional with Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung, but injuries quickly tested her. A meniscus operation, a broken hand and early career illness interrupted her momentum, yet she always returned stronger.
Her rise through the sport included spells at RusVelo, Boels-Dolmans, Alé Cipollini, Jumbo-Visma, AG Insurance-Soudal and most recently Human Powered Health. Along the way, she became as well-known for her race-reading and selfless work as for her results.
There were highlights too:
- a stage win at the 2014 Thüringen Ladies Tour
- a stage win at the 2011 Tour de Feminin
- podium finishes at national championships
- key roles in team time trial podiums at world-level events
Her 2014 Thüringen victory perhaps remains her standout performance: an all-day breakaway with Reta Trotman, sealed with a composed sprint – her first major international win.
But Kasper’s story is also one of perseverance. Multiple crashes in 2017 left her with broken ribs, lung bruising and a long concussion, even prompting a temporary step back from the sport before she returned in 2019 and rebuilt her career once more.
A natural fit for gravel’s next evolution
Pas Normal Studios Racing has gained a rider with an immense engine, road-craft, and years of experience navigating technical terrain. Gravel’s demands suit Kasper’s strengths: long hours, tactical discipline, and the ability to read complicated race dynamics.
The move mirrors a wider shift in the sport where experienced road riders now view gravel as a competitive – and creatively fulfilling – second chapter.
Kasper has spent recent seasons acting as a road captain, guiding younger riders and shaping race plans at Human Powered Health. Gravel now gives her the chance to ride for herself again and reconnect with pure endurance racing in a different environment.
A full-circle moment
Kasper grew up racing in Germany’s local clubs before stepping onto the world stage. She has raced every type of event, from classics to grand stage races, and survived every evolution of the women’s peloton since 2007. Gravel, in many ways, brings her back to the freedom and simplicity of why she started riding.
For Pas Normal Studios Racing, she becomes one of the most experienced riders ever to join the gravel scene. For Kasper herself, 2026 offers a reset she has earned after an extraordinary career.
A new discipline, a new team, and a fresh challenge await – and few riders are better equipped to make the leap.
