British superstar talent Cat Ferguson taking the peloton by storm: "I learned the most I could today"

At just 18 years old, Cat Ferguson is already establishing herself as one of the brightest young talents in the women’s peloton. Her podium at Trofeo Alfredo Binda was an early marker of intent, and yesterday at the Classic Brugge–De Panne, she added another impressive display to her growing résumé, this time with a solo break that lasted over 30 kilometres.

Ultimately, the effort didn’t deliver a result. Lorena Wiebes sprinted to victory, while Ferguson was caught by the bunch. But the performance was nonetheless full of talet, and a clear signal that the British rider is not afraid to take the race on.

Speaking to Felix Mattis after the finish, Ferguson reflected on the challenge of staying ahead of a charging peloton with such a slender advantage.

"I was told it was only around 15, 20 seconds, so I was trying not to look back because I knew how little that gap was," she said. "It needed to be more for it to stay in the final. On a better day, hopefully, I could make the gap bigger, but I'm a little bit ill and have had a few days off since the last race. No excuses, but I will try again next time."

For Ferguson, the experience wasn’t just about tactics or results. The solo break became a lesson in resilience and determination, and a chance to push her mental limits on the road.

"You learn a lot being out at the front, mentally – how to push yourself and to keep going when I knew my gap was 20 seconds for the whole time. So I think, for sure, I learned the most I could today."

That learning process also included practical gains. Being out in front gave her the rare opportunity to work on her aerodynamics and time trialling, key skills for a rider looking to develop in all areas of the sport.

"It's so important, especially in a flat race like this," Ferguson said. "The wind's not super strong today, but aero is everything, especially when it's just you, solo in a breakaway. I had a big focus on keeping my head down as much as I could."

With her debut season in the pro ranks already off to a promising start, Ferguson now looks ahead to the next block of races, which will test her across a wide range of terrain and challenges.

"Next, I have Gent-Wevelgem on Sunday," she explained. "And then I do Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, Brabant and Flèche, and then sort of a rest after the Belgian Classics."