Human Powered Health completed their women’s WorldTour roster for the 2024 season with the additions of Ukrainian Yuliia Biriukova and Wiktoria Pikulik of Poland. The duo rounds out a wave of nine new signings on the 16-rider US-based squad.
Wiktoria Pikulik joins older sister Daria for a family foundation on the road and on the track. The two finished sixth for Poland at the Tokyo Olympic Games as Madison partners. Both have reputations as sprinters, Wiktoria using her fast finish to win the 2022 Polish road race championship. Daria had a breakout season at HPH with six of the team’s 14 victories last season, including a pair of WorldTour wins at Tour of Guangxi and stage 1 of Tour Down Under.
“My parents are so proud to have us on the same team and for it to be in the WorldTour. We have been racing and training since the first day of our careers, so I’m excited to do the biggest races with her,” the younger Pikulik sister said on her jump to the top tier.
“We know each other as cyclists and people and that is the key. I can put out longer efforts and she is the better spriI am the ice, she is the fire.”
Biriukova moves from UAE Development Team to begin her first season at the WorldTour level. The 25-year-old climber compiled 11 individual top 10s this past season, including third at Gran Premio Ciudad de Eibar and sixth overall at the five-day Ruta del Sol.
The other new signings for HPH include Paris-Roubaix Femmes runner-up Katia Ragusa, climbers Silvia Zanardi and Linda Zanetti, sprinters Maëlle Grossetête and Romy Kasper as well as US veterans Krista Doebel-Hickok and Ruth Edwards, who bring GC abilities and leadership for a well-rounded arsenal.
Returning riders include French Champion Audrey Cordon-Ragot, Henrietta Christie, Barbara Malcotti, Marit Raaijmakers, Lily Williams and Alice Wood. On the management side, HPH signed former World Champion Giorgia Bronzini as a new team director alongside Clark Sheehan and Performance Manager Kenny Latomme.
“We have built an exciting roster of athletes and staff ahead of the 2024 season,” said General Manager Ro de Jonckere. “We see a great foundation to build upon with the team and our riders developing year over year, alongside the expansion of women’s cycling.”
Among the departures from Human Powered Health in the new season include a trio of U23 riders from the US - Katie Clouse, Kaia Schmid and Makayla MacPherson - as well as German time trial champion Mike Kröger, Japanese road race champion Eri Yonamine and Antri Christoforou, who doubled with national titles in Cyprus in road race and time trial.
Like last season, Human Powered Health will send a full squad to Australia to begin the UCI Women’s WorldTour calendar at Santos Tour Down Under and Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race. In February, the focus shifts to Asia for the UAE Tour and then to Europe for the spring Classics.
