FDJ UNITED-SUEZ is delighted to announce the signing of Kate Courtney, the 2026 US Road Cycling Champion, to its squad with immediate effect and until December 2028.
A well-rounded athlete and a globally recognised figure in mountain biking, Kate Courtney hails from Marin County, California, a mecca for her favourite sport. A biology graduate from Stanford University, Kate made a name for herself by becoming the 2018 World Mountain Bike Cross-Country Champion and winning the overall title in the UCI World Cup in 2019 in the same discipline.
In 2025, Kate won the world championship title in cross-country marathon mountain biking, demonstrating the extent of her physical abilities over longer distances.
Very recently, Kate Courtney took on one of the biggest challenges of her sporting career by competing in her first road race since she was 16. It proved to be a resounding success, as she won that very race – Stage 4 of the Tour de Feminin, held in the Czech Republic on a demanding course.
On 26 June in Charleston, USA, Kate won her first national road cycling title, confirming her versatility.
Kate Courtney is also an athlete committed to promoting women’s participation in sport through mountain biking. This ambition underpins the work of the “She Sends Foundation”, which she founded in 2023.
Kate is a remarkable athlete with a particularly promising profile in short, demanding races. We are delighted to be supporting her as she discovers European cycling. FDJ UNITED-SUEZ has always been committed to welcoming athletes who have excelled in disciplines other than road cycling. It is this blend of worlds and cultures that drives our team forward in our quest for the highest levels of performance and in our ambition to make our mark on women’s sport. – Stephen Delcourt, General Manager of FDJ UNITED-SUEZ
It’s hard to put into words what I’m going through right now, as I didn’t expect to reach World Tour level so quickly. I’m incredibly motivated by the prospect of taking on this huge challenge, so that I can truly discover what I’m capable of – both as an athlete and as a woman – in this final chapter of my career – Kate Courtney
I am deeply grateful to Stephen and the whole team for recognising my potential and giving me this opportunity to pursue such an ambitious dream.
It’s easy to see, even from the outside, that FDJ UNITED-SUEZ is building something truly exceptional. The way the team races — with aggression, daring and total trust in one another — has always inspired me as a fan. And today, it inspires me even more as a rider. I feel I’ve found the team environment I’ve been looking for since the start of my career, and I couldn’t be more excited about starting to learn, develop and pursue one of the most ambitious goals of my sporting life.”
Kate Courtney will make her debut in the team’s jersey at La Périgord Ladies, the Picto-Charentaise and the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women.