Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Before Brodie Chapman starts racing with Australian cycling team Liv AlUla Jayco, she has something much more important happening in her life.
The 35-year-old Queenslander is expecting her first child in April next year and Chapman plans a return to racing later in the season.
It puts a unique twist on her two-year deal with the Australian team, with the road time trial at the 2028 Olympics a key goal for Chapman.
She had been in talks with Liv Jayco AlUla boss Gene Bates earlier this year and then told the team about her pregnancy.
“When I shared the news of my pregnancy with the GreenEDGE cycling (team) management I was met with genuine joy and support,” she said in a statement.
“The team’s response exemplifies what should be the status quo in its structure and considerations for female professional athletes.
“I have no doubt becoming a mother will only add to my strength and ambition.”
Chapman switched from UAE Team L’IMAD, where she had ridden for the previous two years.
She was in the Australian combinations that won the mixed team relay gold medal at the 2024 and ’25 world road championships.
Chapman also finished fourth in the road time trial at last year’s worlds. She won the Australian time trial championship last year and the national road race title in 2023.
“When I was approached earlier this year, I wasn’t out looking for a change, but the prospect put forward by Gene Bates was extremely encouraging and confidence inspiring,” she said.
“The team offered me security and unmatched support towards my time trial ambitions and chances to be the type of racer I aspire to be in my final years as a professional.”
The men’s Jayco AlUla team have signed Sam Welsford and Oli Bleddyn, who were members of the Australian team pursuit squad that won gold on the track at the Paris Olympics.
