It’s an exciting time to be Ally Wollaston. When the Kiwi rider tells me that “she’s just getting started”, it’s a statement that is as thrilling as it is slightly intimidating. If two Olympic medals, two track world titles, plus 11 wins on the road (three of which have come in the first months of the 2025 season) is only just the beginning, then what can we expect from the rest of her career? If all goes to plan then – according to Wollaston herself – it’s success in the biggest Classics and becoming one of the best puncheurs in the world, emulating the likes of Marianne Vos and Lotte Kopecky. And 2025 is the year that the next phase of the plan begins.
A contract with one of the best professional teams in the world – alongside former Tour de France Femmes winner Demi Vollering – plus a full focus on the road now that the Olympic Games is behind her, combined with opportunities to compete in the biggest races, are all key elements to making Wollaston's dreams a reality.
“As a rider, I don't want to be pigeonholed as a sprinter. It’s one of my best attributes, but I think I have the capabilities of being much more than that. I want to be similar to Vos, to be able to play in finals, but survive races that are beyond what a sprinter can do,” the 24-year-old says.
“There’s not so much space for pure sprinters with how the women’s peloton is evolving. I think the top sprinters nowadays are able to climb – if you look at [Lorena] Wiebes she can get through races that climbers can do. If you want to play to win, you’ve got to be able to do more than just finish, you’ve got to get to the line fresh too. I’ve watched Vos win countless bike races now and she’s been my inspiration from even before I was a professional.”
Wollaston celebrates her victory in the 2025 Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race (Image: Chris Putnam/Getty)
As much as she is ambitious, Wollaston is realistic. She knows that the pathway to greatness involves patience, despite the success she has achieved early in her career. Through competing at major events like the Olympics where she has faced established riders performing at the top of their game, the FDJ-Suez rider has discovered that mindset is as important as physicality.
“I think sometimes a lack of confidence is holding me back. I still need to feel like I deserve to be there. I don’t know if that’s because I’ve had a limited amount of time performing at this level – hopefully this will come over the next few months,” she explains.
This faith in her own ability is something that Wollaston believes will grow with being part of FDJ-Suez. In 2025, the French squad has one of the strongest rosters in the women’s peloton with talented climbers and Classics riders alongside Vollering who is their stand-out headline signing. Being surrounded by some of the best riders in the world is something that Wollaston expects to help raise her level in the season to come.
“We have such a strong team and the ability to be confident in races. Maybe we have a little bit more pressure on our shoulders, there’s also less choice because I know I need to be there to support these riders as they really can win,” she states. “Even just being at training camp and watching how riders like Demi, Juliette [Labous] and Évita [Muzic] operate on the bike and how they train, it’s inspiring to be around.”
Wollaston adds that while she was happy at her former squad AG Insurance-Soudal who, as she explains “took a chance and gave me my start”, the professionalism and attention to detail in FDJ-Suez is an improvement compared to what she’s used to.
“From initial feelings I think that they are a step ahead of other teams. There are only a few teams operating at that level. I feel really supported across all areas of the sport, whether it's nutrition, coaching, mental skills, teamwork, bike fits or equipment, I really feel like they're looking at the whole package,” Wollaston says. “All riders are coached by two heads of performance who have oversight and they can make judgement on who races when based on the data they have from a given day, what they have going on and off the bike.”
Wollaston wins the omnium title at the 2024 UCI Track World Championships (Image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)
Having multiple options in the finales of races with FDJ is something that Wollaston expects will be transformational to her performance. While she became the de-facto team leader of AG Insurance due to her success during her four seasons on that team, she knows that she will have to work harder to get opportunities on an FDJ-Suez squad full of winners, but: “I think that kind of pressure is something I needed from a team or just from myself,” she says.
Her start to the 2025 season is already a promising sign that Wollaston is thriving in her new environment. She won both the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race and the Surf Coast Classic in January, before carrying this momentum to Europe and taking another victory in Clasica de Almeria. The speed she has developed through competing on the track last season has paid dividends when it comes to her sprint, but a full focus on the road with FDJ-Suez also means taking a step back from racing on the velodrome. It’s a balancing act for the Kiwi to ensure she keeps doing the things which make her unique as a rider, while also making sure that she doesn’t burn out in a long season.
“I’m doing a Nation’s Cup in a few weeks but in the past my whole summer has revolved around the track, so I have taken a big step back. I haven’t touched the track since the World Championships last year,” Wollaston says.
“I said to the team initially that my priority is the road, but it does work well for me to do the track again even as a mental refresher. If you look back on the amount of race days I've had per year in the last two years, it's very minimal, so we're really mindful of that to not overdo it. If we can do little things like that, jump back on the track for fun when I want to, maybe it is the key to a more sustainable year. I've definitely experienced in the past some burn out by the time I get to October. It's really nice to know that the team is so supportive of that balance.”
It’s no surprise that Wollaston is reluctant to leave the track fully behind in pursuit of road success. She won two world titles in 2024 in both the elimination and omnium, beating the likes of Belgium's Kopecky to rainbows. Her performances at the Olympics while representing New Zealand are important memories that will long have a special place in the FDJ-Suez rider’s heart.
Ally Wollaston wins the 2025 Clasica de Almeria (Image: Antonio Baixauli/Getty)
“I haven’t really fully reflected on last year. I think the way that you move, especially through an Olympic cycle, you just go from one thing to the next and you’re so tunnel vision focused. But looking back now I can only feel proud of what I achieved,” Wollaston says.
“It was actually my first ever time racing for the New Zealand team, as a wider team, not just cycling. Things like the ceremony of the haka and the giving of the Pounamu necklace make you feel a part of something that's bigger than just your team and your sport, it is really special. The moment we had after the Omnium with Ellesse Andrews [a fellow Kiwi who won Olympic gold in the sprint and keirin in Paris], was probably one of the most amazing moments of my life. It was so raw and emotional and I had an immense sense of pride to be part of the New Zealand team. I don’t think that feeling will ever get old.”
The calibre of riders that Wollaston has gotten the better of in her career, both in track events like the Olympics and on the road, so far should instil the belief in her that she’s one of the best sprinters of her generation. However, her progression has been so rapid that she admits she still feels like she’s relatively new in the sport. This is what makes her such an exciting prospect: her potential is untapped. FDJ-Suez have got a serious talent in their ranks, and Wollaston’s thirst for knowledge and drive to keep improving is going to help her achieve the lofty ambitions she has. Races like the Tour of Flanders are on the horizon for the 24-year-old, and with the support she has around her, there’s a feeling that anything is possible when it comes to her ability.
“It's so crazy because I still feel really young and fresh in the sport. For the last three years, I’ve felt like I’m just getting started. Every win I get is just as good as the first one,” Wollaston smiles.
“It’s mind-blowing, I’ve outsprinted riders like Kopecky on the track who I have watched win the biggest races in the world. I know for a fact I can get those good results and I know my level as a bike rider, but I’m also overwhelmed by the level I'm competing at. It’s all about finding the right mindset to race with.”
(Cover image: Chris Putnam/Getty)
