At the start of the year Niamh Fisher-Black made the shift to Lidl-Trek with a view to opening up a 'clean slate' so she could see what potential was there to develop into a team leader. Now the rider from New Zealand is testing the waters on the biggest stage in women's cycling, the Tour de France Femmes.
It may not have been what was expected at the start of the year, with Gaia Realini the likely team pick to spearhead the GC charge but the Italian's year hasn't gone to plan due to a crash and illness. In contrast, Fisher-Black's season has followed an impressive path of improvement.
