Team SD Worx-Protime have added significant strength to their mountain squad with the signing of Valentina Cavallar, the fast-rising Austrian climber who has agreed a contract through to 2028. The 24-year-old arrives from Arkéa-B&B Hotels after two seasons of rapid progression, completing one of the most unconventional career switches in the modern peloton.
From Olympic rower to WorldTour climber
Cavallar was already competing on the world stage long before she entered the professional peloton. A former lightweight double sculls rower, she raced for Austria at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, only beginning her full commitment to cycling the following year. What triggered the change was a moment she still speaks about with disbelief: watching the 2022 Tour de France Femmes on the Grand Ballon during a rowing camp, then riding the reopened roads and suddenly finding herself behind the race convoy.
That moment, she has often said, made the direction of her future impossible to ignore.
But becoming a professional cyclist in Austria is far from straightforward. Competitive opportunities are sparse and teams thin on the ground. Cavallar headed to Italy to prove herself, producing strong amateur results that soon led to contact with her current agent. After a series of test efforts, she signed with Arkéa mid-way through 2024.
Within weeks, she was making her WorldTour debut at Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, then collecting her first major result by taking the mountain jersey at Itzulia. Her climb through the sport continued quickly:
- Mountain jersey, Itzulia (2024)
- 4th, Alpes Grésivaudan Classic (2024)
- 2nd, Tour Féminin International des Pyrénées (2024)
- 8th overall, Tour de Burgos (2025)
- 1st, Alpes Grésivaudan Classic (2025)
- Strong performances on the queen stage of the Tour de France, including cresting the Glandon in the lead in 2024
A difficult 2025, but the talent was never in doubt
Her 2025 season was disrupted by injuries and personal issues, but the flashes of quality were still visible. Cavallar remained one of the most promising young climbers outside the WorldTour’s biggest teams, and her ability to perform in long, steep climbs made her a logical target for an outfit hunting for fresh mountain firepower.
“Surreal” move to her “dream team”
Speaking about her transfer, Cavallar made clear what this step means to her. She explained that riding for SD Worx-Protime feels “surreal” after being inspired by the team since watching her first Tour de France Femmes. The chance to learn from riders she describes as idols – Anna van der Breggen, Lorena Wiebes, and Lotte Kopecky – is central to her motivation for the next phase of her development.
Her ambitions are also long-term. She hopes not only to grow into a complete stage racer but to target the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games as a cyclist, aiming to join the rare group of athletes who have competed in two different sports at the Games.
A signing that answers a clear need
SD Worx-Protime sports manager Danny Stam called Cavallar a “great addition” to their climbing unit, noting that the team had been looking to add depth for the high mountains. Her talent, combined with her relative inexperience, offers both immediate strength and long-term potential.
Despite her short time in the pro ranks, Cavallar has already shown she can shape hard races. The tougher and longer the climb, the more she thrives, and SD Worx-Protime believe they can guide her into one of the most effective mountain helpers – and perhaps future leaders – in the women’s peloton.
For Cavallar, the move is the realisation of a dream she once couldn’t imagine. For SD Worx-Protime, it is the addition of a rider whose upward curve still looks far from its peak.
