A new women-led project has entered the UK domestic cycling landscape with the launch of The Hera Project, a team that combines national-level racing ambitions with a longer-term development model focused on both riders and staff.
According to information published on the team’s website, the project is targeting competition across the National Road and Circuit Series in 2026, alongside the National Road Championships and the British Team Cup. Beyond its first season, The Hera Project outlines an ambition to progress towards UCI Continental Team status within three years, with an emphasis on sustainability, education and structured progression.
The team is founded and led by Christine White, whose background and role are detailed on the project’s website, which describes White as an experienced Directeur Sportif and sport scientist, with previous leadership roles across UCI women’s and men’s continental teams, alongside work in national development pathways with British Cycling and Welsh Cycling. The Hera Project states that this experience informs its focus on athlete wellbeing, staff development and long-term performance structures.
The team has begun to define its competitive identity through a series of rider announcements made via its Instagram account.
The most experienced rider confirmed so far is Lucy Nelson, whose signing was announced by the team on social media. Nelson brings experience across both road and track, including regular racing in Belgium and a tenth-place finish at the UCI 1.2 Grote Prijs CHW Beveren. She rode for Smurfit Westrock CT for the first half of 2025. Her track résumé includes multiple UCI victories, adding international experience to the team’s early roster.
Sophie Holme wins the 2025 Banbury Star CC road race. Image: Gary Hibbert
Sophie Holmes, also announced via the team’s Instagram channel, joins with a strong domestic and continental record. Holmes – a CJ O’Shea rider in 2025 – has been a consistent presence at the sharp end of UK racing in recent seasons, with podium finishes in major criteriums, top-ten placings in Belgium, and two National B victories in 2025, both achieved from long-range moves. She returns to racing in 2026 after being unable to start the 2025 Tour of Britain following a hit-and-run incident.
The youngest rider announced to date is Jess Atherton, whose signing was also confirmed through the team’s social media. Atherton comes from a BMX background before transitioning into cross-country and road racing, with a silver medal at the Welsh XCO Championships and a series of road podium finishes marking her early progression.
Beyond the rider line-up, the team’s website outlines plans for mentoring, education, academic partnerships and structured pathways for women moving into coaching, management and technical roles. Whether that integrated approach can be sustained alongside the financial and logistical demands of domestic and continental racing remains to be seen, but it reflects a growing recognition of the need for stability and progression within women’s cycling. The 2026 season will offer the first indication of how those ambitions translate into performance and longer-term viability.
A new women-led project has entered the UK domestic cycling landscape with the launch of The Hera Project, a team that combines national-level racing ambitions with a longer-term development model focused on both riders and staff.
According to information published on the team’s website, the project is targeting competition across the National Road and Circuit Series in 2026, alongside the National Road Championships and the British Team Cup. Beyond its first season, The Hera Project outlines an ambition to progress towards UCI Continental Team status within three years, with an emphasis on sustainability, education and structured progression.
The team is founded and led by Christine White, whose background and role are detailed on the project’s website, which describes White as an experienced Directeur Sportif and sport scientist, with previous leadership roles across UCI women’s and men’s continental teams, alongside work in national development pathways with British Cycling and Welsh Cycling. The Hera Project states that this experience informs its focus on athlete wellbeing, staff development and long-term performance structures.
The team has begun to define its competitive identity through a series of rider announcements made via its Instagram account.
The most experienced rider confirmed so far is Lucy Nelson, whose signing was announced by the team on social media. Nelson brings experience across both road and track, including regular racing in Belgium and a tenth-place finish at the UCI 1.2 Grote Prijs CHW Beveren. She rode for Smurfit Westrock CT for the first half of 2025. Her track résumé includes multiple UCI victories, adding international experience to the team’s early roster.
Sophie Holmes, also announced via the team’s Instagram channel, joins with a strong domestic and continental record. Holmes – a CJ O’Shea rider in 2025 – has been a consistent presence at the sharp end of UK racing in recent seasons, with podium finishes in major criteriums, top-ten placings in Belgium, and two National B victories in 2025, both achieved from long-range moves. She returns to racing in 2026 after being unable to start the 2025 Tour of Britain following a hit-and-run incident.
The youngest rider announced to date is Jess Atherton, whose signing was also confirmed through the team’s social media. Atherton comes from a BMX background before transitioning into cross-country and road racing, with a silver medal at the Welsh XCO Championships and a series of road podium finishes marking her early progression.
Beyond the rider line-up, the team’s website outlines plans for mentoring, education, academic partnerships and structured pathways for women moving into coaching, management and technical roles. Whether that integrated approach can be sustained alongside the financial and logistical demands of domestic and continental racing remains to be seen, but it reflects a growing recognition of the need for stability and progression within women’s cycling. The 2026 season will offer the first indication of how those ambitions translate into performance and longer-term viability.
Read the domestic team guide here.
Featured image: JoWSportsMedia. Sophie Holmes (centre) at the 2025 Women’s South Cerney Kermesse.
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