Stephanie Meder will join VolkerWessels Cycling Team on a two-year contract from 2027, moving from Wheel Divas Cycling Team after a breakthrough season that included her first international stage victory. The 31-year-old German has made a rapid progression in road racing, having taken up the sport only a few years ago.
VolkerWessels announced the signing on Instagram on Thursday, 29 October, in a joint post with Meder. The deal keeps her with the Dutch organisation for 2027 and 2028, offering her the chance to build on results achieved during her first season at UCI Women’s Continental level.
Gracia Orlová victory highlights a strong 2026 season
Meder’s most significant result came at the Gracia Orlová in the Czech Republic in May. Racing for Wheel Divas, she won the 13.5km individual time trial, beating Jasmin Liechti and Silje Antvorskov in a close contest. She also finished fourth in the general classification, just over a minute behind overall winner Liechti.
The performance was part of a consistent spring. Meder placed fifth overall at the Tour de Féminin, where she also finished fifth on a road stage, and seventh at the demanding Alpes Grésivaudan Classic in France. At the German national championships in June, she took sixth in the elite individual time trial.
She carried that form into the second half of the year, finishing 14th at September’s Women’s Cycling Grand Prix Region Stuttgart. On a selective course where many of the starters failed to finish, she was the highest-placed rider from a Women’s Continental team.
Those results show why Meder has attracted attention despite arriving relatively late to competitive cycling. Her time-trial strength is already evident, but her general classification performances and result on the climbs in France suggest that she has more than one way to contribute to a team.
Meder looking to learn from VolkerWessels experience
In the signing announcement, Meder said cycling had taken her further than she imagined when she started only a few years earlier. She described VolkerWessels as an environment where she could continue improving, learn from experienced riders and staff, and contribute to the team’s ambitions.
“I felt VolkerWessels Cycling Team is the right fit for me,” Meder said, adding that she wanted to develop her performance and race at the highest level possible.
Her arrival gives VolkerWessels another rider with a strong 2026 record against the clock, as well as proven results in shorter stage races. Wheel Divas, meanwhile, loses one of the leading performers from its first season as a Women’s Continental team.
VolkerWessels continues shaping its 2027 roster
The Dutch team has been active in retaining and recruiting riders for next season. Maaike Boogaard has extended her contract for 2027, while Lonneke Uneken is staying through 2028. Experienced Dutch rider Floortje Mackaij is another new addition.
Meder’s first race programme for VolkerWessels has not yet been confirmed. Her 2026 performances provide a clear starting point, particularly in time trials, hilly one-day races and shorter stage races where she has already demonstrated the ability to compete near the front.
