Specialized Women’s Racing has evolved for 2018. New faces and partners but the team’s core values remain; fostering the careers of Australia's best young female cyclists and promoting the love of women's cycling. This year, we are excited to present the new Specialized Women’s Racing team in partnership with Black Sheep. The team is a celebration of everything that has been while acknowledging the passionate potential for evolution.
Specialized Women’s Racing is a non-profit women's cycling team that was founded in 2011 under the name Specialized Women SA by team originator Elizabeth Phillipou. Liz was one of the five original riders who established the team from the ground up. It has now become Australia's longest standing women’s National Road Series team and one of its most successful. It has a glowing palmarès.
"My goal has always been to increase our reach to the wider sporting community. Getting more people; more females into cycling through avenues other than just winning races is equally as important. We want to inspire the next generation." – Liz Phillipou.
With a firm foundation of experienced riders and determined, young women, the team's principal objective continues to be raising the profile and professionalism of women's cycling and inspiring more women to ride bikes. Specialized Women's Racing is also determined to provide a pathway for up and coming female cyclists to progress into the professional ranks while ensuring the team's core values of Attitude; Integrity; Communication and Trust are upheld.
"Professionalism is something that we strive for in everything we do."
"Professionalism is something that we strive for in everything we do. Evolving this team to the point where we can provide even more professional support to our riders; to bring it on par with men's professional cycling is the ultimate goal of this team and something we strive to do with our partners."
Specialized Women's Racing has seen many of its riders go on to successful international careers including Rebecca Werner, Kimberley Wells, Amy Bradley, Lizzie Williams, Jenelle Crooks, Anna-Leeza Hull and Sophie Mackay.
"The support of women's cycling has been the biggest evolution of the past seven years."
"The support of women's cycling has been the biggest evolution of the past seven years. That, and the number of females in cycling at that top level. The standard has risen a lot. The level of athlete that we are producing out of NRS who go on to race professionally … it is working."
Helping enable that are the many people who make Specialized Women's Racing possible. The team considers itself incredibly fortunate to have the support of some very loyal partners; Specialized Australia (now in its seventh year of its partnership), CartGIS (four years), Peta Stewart CPC (three years), adidas eyewear (five years) and it welcomes new partners Black Sheep and Lodex. All are equally as passionate about women's cycling.
"Everyone involved in this team from sponsorship or support side of things are doing it because they love women's cycling."
"Everyone involved in this team from sponsorship or support side of things are doing it because they love women's cycling," continues Liz. "Specialized has been with us for so long and so have so many of our other supporters. They all share our values. Our culture, and I've worked hard to ensure we partner with people genuinely passionate about female cycling."
Ashlee Ankudinoff ; Kendelle Hodges; Sharlotte Lucas; Kate McIlroy; Ella Bloor; Lucy Bechtel; Taryn Heather; Kate Perry. Founder & General Manager Liz Phillipou; Director Sportif Mark Brady; Mechanic Zeke Ashworth
Specialized Women's Racing will compete in the Santos Women's Tour Down Under. January 11-14, 2018
© 2026 Black Sheep Cycling
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
/resize(700,400,crop)/1x.jpeg?auto=webp)
/1x.jpeg?auto=webp)
/1x.jpeg?auto=webp)
/1x.jpeg?auto=webp)
/1x.jpeg?auto=webp)
/1x.jpeg?auto=webp)