AG Insurance to become title sponsor of NXTG Cycling team

Women’s team with focus on youth to be known as AG Insurance - NXTG.

AG Insurance – NXTG Team will make its debut at Thursday’s Women's World Tour race, Brugge-De Panne.

AG Insurance - NXTG is the leading development team in women’s cycling. From its early foundations as APB U19 development team back in 2018 it won world, European and national titles. 

AG Insurance has been closely associated with Belgian cycling for decades, having been a partner of the national and regional cycling federations for 25 years and working for many years to strengthen the base of cycling, especially promoting cycling among girls.

Early foundations

‘When we turned into an elite women’s team in 2019 after the U19 year, we continued to build on that basis. When you build a house, you don’t start with a roof but with the foundations,” says NXTG founder Natascha den Ouden. “We aim to provide young female riders with a professional set-up where they can realise their dreams of being a professional cyclist. This dream started in 2019 with our first ever elite race at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and continues to grow every day and from tomorrow with AG Insurance and Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl by our side."

'Our philosophy is to work on the development of the NeXT generation, the foundations, in women’s cycling. We are firmly committed to creating a successful and sustainable sport with the solid support of AG Insurance.'

These thoughts were echoed by Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl CEO Patrick Lefevere, who started to give his support to the NXTG team in December, and said, ‘As I have discussed when we first got involved with the NXTG team, we were looking to work with a women's team, to help from the ground up and build real foundations, and the project of Natascha is the perfect fit. During my time in cycling, we have a track record of working with young riders and helping them to develop. We will apply the same philosophy with this team, giving young, talented riders a clear and sustainable progression path under the spirit, the culture and philosophy that leads the day-by-day operations of the Wolfpack.’

Women's WorldTour 2023

Over the rest of 2022 the team will look to transition to a structure made up of a senior team, an U23 team and an U19 team, with the aim of the senior team joining the Women's World Tour in 2023. Lefevere then added, ‘It is a unique project within women’s cycling, and we are very happy that AG Insurance shares our vision and we look forward to seeing our athletes and the team progress.’

They were joined by AG Insurance CEO Heidi Delobelle, who said, ‘Over the past few years, we have become increasingly aware of our corporate social responsibility and the role we can play as a major insurer in safeguarding the future for many generations to come. Providing young people with the opportunity to make the most of their talents and reach new heights in a quintessentially Belgian sport where AG has a longstanding affinity aligns perfectly with the ambitions we have for our customers and our staff members. 

We are big believers in the team’s potential and in the role that they can play in the future of women’s cycling. On behalf of all AG staff members, I wish the riders and the team all the best in their endeavors. From now on, they will have us by their side as their most loyal supporters.’