Leah Kirchmann’s decision to move from the US-based team Optum Pro Cycling to the Dutch team Liv-Plantur aligned perfectly with her goals of building consistently strong results in international bike racing. The Canadian all-rounder is looking to take her career to the next level on the inaugural Women’s WorldTour and at the Rio Olympics Games in 2016.
“My big goal for the 2016 season is the Olympics in Rio,” Kirchmann told Cyclingnews. “I will also be targeting some of the Spring Classics, as that type of racing really plays to my strengths.
“I’ve always had the goal of eventually moving to a European team, and the opportunity with Liv-Plantur came up at the perfect time. They are one of the top teams in the world, with strong riders and a professional team structure. I will be based over in Europe with them for most of the season.”
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Kirchmann is a multiple Canadian champion in road, time trial and the criterium disciplines. She has been with the Optum Pro Cycling team since 2013 with highlights that include second overall at the Tour of California Women’s Race, second places at the Pan American Championships road race, Chrono Gatineau, White Spot-Delta Road Race, and third at La Course by Le Tour de France. She won the National Racing Calendar (NRC) overall individual title this year. Liv-Plantur announced in October that they signed Kirchmann for the 2016 season.
Next year, Kirchmann hopes to make her mark on the Women’s WorldTour, a 17-round series that includes both one-day and stage races. Although Liv-Plantur’s race program has not yet been released, Kirchmann would like to focus on some of the Spring Classics on the calendar such as Ronde van Drenthe, Gent-Wevelgem in Flanders Fields, Tour of Flanders and La Flèche Wallonne Féminine.
“I’ve shown now that I can consistently perform at the top in North America, and I would like to achieve that same kind of consistency racing over in Europe,” Kirchmann said. “It will be an especially exciting season with the introduction of the new Women’s WorldTour. I’m really looking forward to embracing the European cycling culture, and learning as much as possible next season.”
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