Women’s cycling has an admirable history, marked by impressive achievements, barrier-breaking and extraordinary displays of endurance and skill.
That’s why we’ve prepared a special piece of content on the subject, bringing you a complete list of the 20 best women cyclists of all time. You’ll find out about their titles, teams, life stories, curiosities and more!
Over the decades, several cyclists have excelled in international competitions, accumulating titles and setting records that have inspired generations of athletes.
These best women cyclists of all time not only dominated the roads and tracks, but also faced personal and social challenges, proving that passion and dedication can transcend any obstacles.
In this list, therefore, we’re going to present the 20 best women cyclists of all time. The list features athletes who come from different parts of the world, and their careers span various cycling disciplines, including road, cyclocross, mountain bike and track.
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Check out the list of the 20 best female cyclists of all time!
Top 20 women cyclists of all time: complete list
Before finding out more about the top 20 women cyclists of all time, let’s take a look at which athletes make up the ranking.
- Jeannie Longo
- Marianne Vos
- Fabiana Luperini
- Leontien van Moorsel
- Anna van der Breggen
- Elizabeth Deignan
- Beryl Burton
- Pauline Ferrand-Prévot
- Lizzie Armitstead
- Nicole Cooke
- Evelyn Stevens
- Kristin Armstrong
- Judith Arndt
- Amber Neben
- Giorgia Bronzini
- Dani King
- Clara Hughes
- Ingrid Drexel
- Clemilda Fernandes
- Flávia Oliveira
20 best female cyclists of all time: find out more about them
Now, finally, let’s find out more about the 20 best female cyclists of all time!
1. Jeannie Longo (France)
- Titles:
- World Road Champion (5 times)
- World Time Trial Champion (4 times)
- Olympic Gold Medalist (1996)
- 59 French national titles
- Team: Équipe Pau Pyrénées
- Fun facts: Holds the record for the most victories in the women’s Tour de France.
- Life Story: She began her sporting career as a skier before turning to cycling.
2. Marianne Vos (Netherlands)
- Titles:
- Road World Champion (3 times)
- Cyclocross World Champion (8 times)
- Olympic Gold Medalist (2012)
- Winner of the Giro Rosa (3 times)
- Team: Jumbo-Visma Women Team
- Fun facts: Considered one of the most versatile cyclists of all time.
- Life Story: She started out in cyclocross and quickly made a name for herself in various cycling disciplines.
3. Fabiana Luperini (Italy)
- Titles:
- Winner of the Women’s Giro d’Italia (5 times)
- Winner of the Women’s Tour de France (3 times)
- Team: Several, including Gas Sport Team and Fassa Bortolo
- Fun facts: Dominated women’s road cycling in the 90s.
- Life Story: Known for her mountain skills.
4. Leontien van Moorsel (Netherlands)
- Titles:
- Olympic Gold Medalist (4 times)
- World Road Champion (2 times)
- Team: Farm Frites-Hartol
- Fun facts: He suffered from anorexia, but managed to return to the top of cycling.
- Life Story: After retiring, he devoted himself to his family and mental health projects.
5. Anna van der Breggen (Netherlands)
- Titles:
- World Road Champion (2 times)
- Olympic Gold Medalist (2016)
- Winner of the Giro Rosa (4 times)
- Team: SD Worx
- Fun facts: Specializes in climbs and endurance races.
- Life Story: Plans to become a sports director after retirement.
6. Elizabeth Deignan (United Kingdom)
- Titles:
- World Road Champion (2015)
- La Course winner (2 times)
- Team: Trek-Segafredo
- Fun facts: First British woman to win the UCI Women’s World Tour.
- Life Story: Returned to top-level cycling after becoming a mother.
7. Beryl Burton (United Kingdom)
- Titles:
- World Road Champion (2 times)
- World Pursuit Champion (5 times)
- Team: Morley Cycling Club
- Fun facts: Dominated British women’s cycling for over 20 years.
- Life Story: Continued competing and winning until the age of 50.
8. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (France)
- Titles:
- Road World Champion (2014)
- Cyclocross and Mountain Bike World Champion
- Team: Ineos Grenadiers
- Fun facts: First cyclist to win world titles in road, cyclocross and mountain biking in the same year.
- Life Story: Suffered from injuries, but always returned to the top.
9. Lizzie Armitstead (United Kingdom)
- Titles:
- Olympic Silver Medalist (2012)
- World Road Champion (2015)
- Team: Trek-Segafredo
- Fun facts: Leader of the UCI world ranking for several seasons.
- Life Story: Became an advocate for gender equality in sport.
10. Nicole Cooke (United Kingdom)
- Titles:
- Olympic Gold Medal (2008)
- World Road Champion (2008)
- Team: Vision1 Racing
- Fun facts: First cyclist to win the Olympic and World titles in the same year.
- Life Story: After retiring, she wrote a book about her experience in cycling.
11. Evelyn Stevens (USA)
- Titles:
- National time trial champion (2 times)
- Winner of La Flèche Wallonne Féminine (2012)
- Team: Boels-Dolmans
- Fun facts: Started her cycling career late, after quitting her job on Wall Street.
- Life Story: Known for her skills in time trials and endurance races.
12. Kristin Armstrong (USA)
- Titles:
- Olympic Gold Medalist (3 times)
- World Time Trial Champion (2 times)
- Team: Cervélo TestTeam
- Fun facts: She won an Olympic gold medal after having a child.
- Life Story: Inspired many athlete mothers to continue their sporting careers.
13. Judith Arndt (Germany)
- Titles:
- World Road Champion (2004)
- World Time Trial Champion (2011)
- Olympic Silver Medalist (2004)
- Team: HTC-Highroad
- Fun facts: Won more than 20 national titles.
- Life Story: Known for her versatility and longevity in her career.
14. Amber Neben (USA)
- Titles:
- World Time Trial Champion (2 times)
- National Road Champion (2 times)
- Team: Cogeas-Mettler Pro Cycling Team
- Fun facts: She has suffered serious injuries, but has always returned to competing at a high level.
- Life Story: She is also a microbiologist and author.
15. Giorgia Bronzini (Italy)
- Titles:
- World Road Champion (2 times)
- Stage winner in the Giro Rosa
- Team: Cylance Pro Cycling
- Fun facts: One of the best sprinters of her generation.
- Life Story: She currently works as a sports director.
16. Dani King (United Kingdom)
- Titles:
- Olympic Gold Medal (2012, Team Pursuit)
- Team Pursuit World Champion (3 times)
- Team: Cylance Pro Cycling
- Fun facts: Track specialist before moving to the road.
- Life Story: Cycling safety activist after suffering a serious accident.
17. Clara Hughes (Canada)
- Titles:
- Olympic Bronze Medalist (1996)
- National Road Champion (1999)
- Team: Saturn Cycling Team
- Fun facts: Also an Olympic medalist in speed skating.
- Life Story: Activist for mental health, especially for athletes.
18. Ingrid Drexel (Mexico)
- Titles:
- National Road and Time Trial Champion
- Team: Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
- Fun facts: First Mexican to compete in the women’s Tour de France.
- Life Story: Advocate for the development of women’s cycling in Latin America.
19. Clemilda Fernandes (Brazil)
- Titles:
- Pan American Road Champion (2007)
- Several times national champion
- Team: Bizkaia-Durango
- Fun facts: She has competed in three Olympic Games.
- Life Story: She comes from a family of cyclists and is known for her determination and perseverance.
20. Flávia Oliveira (Brazil)
- Titles:
- Bronze medal at the Pan American Games (2015)
- National Road Champion
- Team: Hagens Berman-Supermint
- Fun facts: Participated in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
- Life Story: Overcame a doping suspension to return to top-level sport.
Top 20 women cyclists of all time: complete list
- Jeannie Longo
- Marianne Vos
- Fabiana Luperini
- Leontien van Moorsel
- Anna van der Breggen
- Elizabeth Deignan
- Beryl Burton
- Pauline Ferrand-Prévot
- Lizzie Armitstead
- Nicole Cooke
- Evelyn Stevens
- Kristin Armstrong
- Judith Arndt
- Amber Neben
- Giorgia Bronzini
- Dani King
- Clara Hughes
- Ingrid Drexel
- Clemilda Fernandes
- Flávia Oliveira
20 best women cyclists of all time
Knowing the 20 best women cyclists of all time highlights their excellence and dedication in women’s cycling. These athletes have not only won titles and broken records, but have also overcome personal and social challenges, inspiring generations with their stories of courage and resilience.
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