Zaaf on brink of collapse as Meijering and Jounier find new homes

The Zaaf team is on the brink of collapse after the departure of another team member left them with the UCI minimum of eight riders.

Lucie Jounier became the latest to officially leave, announcing her move to Coop-Hitec Products on Thursday. Meanwhile, Mareille Meijering has been confirmed as a new signing for Movistar after being pictured with the team earlier this week.

A total of seven riders have now confirmed they have left the Spanish team, which has been in meltdown in recent weeks over the alleged non-payment of salaries. The UCI gave the green light for riders to terminate their contracts and seek employment elsewhere from the start of April, and many have already done so.

Having started the season with 15 riders, Zaaf are now down to eight, which is the minimum roster requirement for UCI-registered women's Continental teams.

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It could be the case that the team have already fallen below that limit, if other riders have already walked away but not announced it, or not yet found new teams.

French champion Audrey Cordon Ragot was the first to terminate her contract, joining Human Powered Health in time for Paris-Roubaix, and she has since been joined by Maggie Coles-Lyster, Heidi Franz, Michaela Drummond, Lizzie Stannard, as well as Meijering and now Jounier.

Jounier is a 24-year-old French sprinter who previously rode for the Arkéa team before joining Zaaf at the start of this year. She will debut her new colours on Saturday at the Omloop van Borsele.

"I’m so happy to join the team Coop – Hitec, this team has been in the peloton for a long time so I know it’s a team with a really professional framework and staff. After my bad experience this year it’s exactly what I need," Jounier said.

"I’m eager to start my first race with the team this weekend. I’m also very excited to meet my new teammates and get back in the peloton. I am training hard so I hope to quickly come back to the top of the rankings.

Team manager Karl Lima added: "I already tried to sign Lucie before, so when this opportunity arose, I didn’t hesitate. With her experience and past results she is a very strong addition to our rider roster."

Meijering was also announced on a new team on Thursday - joining Movistar - taking the number of riders who have found new homes to four, with Lizzie Stannard joining Israel-Premier Tech-Roland last week.

Meijering is 28 but a relative newcomer to professional cycling, having previously balanced her amateur-level racing with her academic work in the field of finance and economics. She rode her first full season last year with the Multum Accountants team, and stepped up a level with Zaaf in 2023, placing 10th at the UAE Tour.

"Despite Mareille having started her full-time commitment to cycling relatively late, she’s got a ‘full life’ of experience in racing on her shoulders, from her racing in the Netherlands, and she’s got all skills and experience needed," said Movistar boss Sebastián Unzué.

"She’s yet to know almost all big races, but her progression over the last year and a half fully focused on bike racing makes us hope she’ll become a great rider."

Meijering has signed a near-two-year deal that will begin on May 1 and take her through to the end of the 2024 season.

"It’s been a very fast rollercoaster for me! If you would have told me half a year ago that I would join the team, I would not have believed it," she said.

"Last year, it was really just an adventure to race WorldTour events next to being a full-time teacher. This year I could focus a lot more on training, racing and especially resting, by not having to work full-time anymore, and it made a huge difference already. I’m looking forward to see how much more progress I can make when I can fully focus on cycling."