Grace Brown will not extend her successful adventure at FDJ-Suez. The Australian, at the end of her contract with the French team, had been thinking since the start of the season about the next step in her career, at 31 years old. She had to communicate her response before the summer to her manager, Stephen Delcourt, in whom she has placed total trust since the start of their collaboration three years ago. “It’s unimaginable for me to see her wearing a jersey other than ours,” testified the boss of the World Tour team, who was ready to offer her a new contract.
Homesick, the Australian decided not to follow up on Delcourt’s proposal, preferring to return to her husband’s side, who remained 12,000 km from Paris. “I know I had many years of cycling left in my legs, but I miss my life in Australia,” explained the winner of Liège-Bastogne-Liège in the spring in a video on social networks.
The rider, double world chrono vice-champion (2022, 2023), has set herself the goal of winning the gold medal at the Paris Olympics, where she intends to turn an important page in her life “in style” . Appreciated for her leadership, she was of invaluable help in the mountains for Évita Muzic during the Frenchwoman’s stage victory ahead of Demi Vollering at the Vuelta at the beginning of May. His departure will leave a big void within FDJ-Suez, and opens the way to a profound renewal of the workforce.