Grace Brown moves to FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope in 2022
Grace Brown moves to FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope in 2022
FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope announced on Monday the signing of Grace Brown for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Brown turned professional with Team BikeExchange, formerly Mitchelton-Scott, in 2019.
In 2020 Brown finished second to Lizzie Deignan at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, won Brabantse Pijl, and finished fifth in the World Championship time trial. Although 2020 was a great season for Brown, 2021 saw the Australian take an even bigger step up performance-wise.
Brown was one of the top competitors in the Spring Classics and won the Oxyclean Classic Brugge De Panne solo, tricking a select group of sprinters who had stolen away in a windy section of the flat course. The performance put Brown on the map for the remaining Classics and she delivered by taking third place at the Tour of Flanders.
Brown’s aggressive style marked her as a fan favourite throughout the season and also carried her to more victories, notably the opening stage of the Vuelta a Burgos.
Brown also represented Australia at the Tokyo Olympic Games where she finished fourth in the time trial.
“I am very happy to join the FDJ New Aquitaine Futuroscope for the next 2 years,” Brown said in the team’s press release. “I’ve watched the team take big steps recently and can’t wait to play my part in this growth. Can’t wait to face new challenges and continue to grow into a new team!”
FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope, a team that used to be stacked with young French hopefuls, has been filling their roster with more international names. Brown joins Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Denmark), Marta Cavalli (Italy), Emilia Fahlin (Sweden), Stine Borgli (Norway), and fellow Aussie Brodie Chapman on the French WorldTeam.
“Grace’s arrival is a great pride for the team,” General Manager of FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope Stephen Delcourt said in the press release. “She represents everything you love about cycling: boldness, self overrun and dedication. In modern cycling, few cyclists dare, who let their instincts express themselves as a priority, Grace is one of them.”
With the addition of Brown, the team hope to bolster their Spring Classics roster for the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
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