Ladies Hanna Nilsson to sign with Lotto Soudal Ladies

Swedish rider is one of the four newcomers who will ride at the side of six women who were already part of the team this season.
General 05 November 2020

We welcome the Swedish rider Hanna Nilsson (28) to the Lotto Soudal Ladies Team next year. Hanna is one of the four newcomers who will ride at the side of six women who were already part of the team this season.

Hanna Nilsson has several reasons to choose for our team: “Lotto Soudal is a solid name in the peloton. I am happy I can be part of the team next season. As a Swede I feel comfortable with the Belgian mentality. Our ways of thinking and acting are very similar. It feels like I will exactly be where I belong. And I can’t wait to work with Annelies Dom as a sports director. In 2016 (at Lensworld – Zannta) she was my teammate for one season. She knows the ins and outs of the peloton and its riders. She will be a huge advantage to the team. I am convinced Annelies can push us to reach our goals.”

Past season Hanna Nilsson rode for Parkhotel Valkenburg and during the season she stayed in the Dutch province of Limburg, close to her preferred type of course. Hanna loves the Ardennes Classics. Stage races may be tough and long. She already conquered several top ten places at Tour de l’Ardèche where she became second on GC in 2017. The same year she got tenth at La Course, with finish on the Izoard. Last year she was ninth in the first edition of Donostia San Sebastián Klasikoa.

To achieve her ambitions Hanna Nilsson prefers an aggressive racing style: “I love to be in the mix, where the race is. I love the fighting for position. I don’t like sitting in the back of the bunch and just wait. I love to read the players. I love racing offensively and rather try and fail than finish anonymously. I don’t want to have any regrets afterwards. I love racing uphill, but I equally love the downhills. And yes, I am stubborn. I never give up. If I have a wheel I won’t let go easily, even if I’m on my limit!”​​​​​​​

Next year I’ll be aiming for the GC podium in stage races and a top 10 in the Ardennes Classics. I am convinced we can show nice things as a team in 2021. I will also be happy to help my teammates, because performing well as a team is rewarding too.”

As announced last week, Polish rider Anna Plichta will be one of the teammates of Hanna Nilsson next year. The two other newcomers are Belgian rider Elise Vander Sande (almost 23) and Dutch rider Silke Smulders (19). The following six riders will remain in the Lotto Soudal Ladies Team: Danique Braam, Alana Castrique, Lone Meertens, Abby-Mae Parkinson, Christina Siggaard and Jesse Vandenbulcke.