Tudor Pro Cycling Team strengthens its line-up with Clara Koppenburgwho, after eleven years in professional road cycling, is looking for a new challenge in the gravel sector. The German from the hills of southern Germany is swapping narrow tyres for studded treads and will be entering a completely new racing category in 2025. The decisive factor after health problems a long period without racing success in road cycling. Her decision was made after a successful first experience off-road, where she finished fifth in the UCI Gravel World Series Sea Otter Europe. The Gravel Burn stage race in South Africa confirmed her enthusiasm for this discipline and paved the way for her change of team.
The 30-year-old has extensive racing experience and complements Tudor Pro Cycling's existing gravel programme. Together with Swiss rider Jan Stöckli, she forms the team's gravel duo, with both riders fully integrated into the organisational processes. Koppenburg will be the first female athlete in the squad to take on a pioneering role and represent the team at international gravel events. Her signing underlines the team's ambition to establish itself in the growing gravel segment.
Motivation for Clara Koppenburg
"I am happy and feel privileged to be able to pursue my new-found passion for gravel racing at Tudor Pro Cycling," Koppenburg comments on her decision. According to her, the first training camp in December convinced her of the team's philosophy, where she was warmly welcomed and given full support. The past season in road cycling brought some ups and downs, which strengthened her desire for change. After signing up for her first gravel race, she realised how much energy and joy this new discipline brought her.
The focus is now on the most demanding gravel events on the international scene, where she wants to wear the Tudor emblem. Koppenburg sees her new role as an opportunity to leave her mark on gravel racing. The switch from road to dirt tracks requires new tactical approaches and technical skills, which she wants to develop systematically. Her many years of experience in professional sport form a solid basis for a successful transition into the gravel scene.
Clara Koppenburg Team integration
Raphael Meyer, CEO and team co-owner of Tudor Pro Cycling, emphasises the importance of the signing: "Welcoming Clara Koppenburg to Tudor Pro Cycling is a proud moment for us." The team is delighted to have gained a promising female gravel rider and to have added an inspiring personality to the squad. As the first female rider, Koppenburg embodies the team's core values and increases the diversity of athletes at Tudor Pro Cycling. She will be seamlessly integrated into the existing structures, receiving the same resources and support as all other team members.
The 2025 season will be a learning phase for Koppenburg as she adapts to the specific requirements of gravel racing. Different surfaces, changing weather conditions and longer distances require adapted training methods and material selection. The team is planning a step-by-step approach to the most important events on the gravel scene, with a focus on continuous development. Koppenburg will be supported by experienced coaches and mechanics who already have expertise in the gravel sector and will facilitate their adaptation.
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Comeback after REDs syndrome
In October 2025, the German professional cyclist Clara Koppenburg in an interview with TOUR spoke in detail about the years of inner and physical struggle behind her sporting successes. She admitted that although she had achieved victories in her strongest phase, she was often at the limit in terms of her health and developed a critical underweight - because she believed that this was the only way to survive in top-class sport. Koppenburg described how she trained unhealthily for years and ate too little, which she subsequently categorised as part of the REDs syndrome, which can lead to serious health risks. It was only after multiple strokes of fate in her family and the gruelling ups and downs with her weight that she managed to gain weight healthily and distance herself from this extreme weight dynamic. She emphasised that success in cycling alone is not synonymous with happiness or health and that she now pays more attention to a balanced life. At the same time, she criticised the widespread notion in parts of the sport that success is necessarily linked to a low body weight - a narrative that puts young female riders in particular at risk. Koppenburg expressed her gratitude for the positive response to her open Instagram post in which she addressed the topic for the first time.
Kristian Bauer
Editor
