The newly formed development team, Canyon-SRAM Generation, has finalized its 2022 roster after receiving applications from over 200 riders.

The team, the developmental arm of the women's world team Canyon-SRAM Racing, confirmed that 239 riders from 62 countries applied for spots on the eight-member team.

"We expected a significant number of applications since the possibility of participating in the Canyon-SRAM Generation is a unique opportunity, but we were overwhelmed by the number of applications," said Christine Kalschmid, the team's diversity and inclusion expert.

"We were overwhelmed not only by the sheer numbers, but also by the fact that we received applications from so many different countries, from every continent, from a wide range of ages, from every different background."

The development team, announced in July, is part of Canyon Slam's commitment to diversity and inclusion and aims to support riders from countries currently underrepresented in the women's peloton.

Canyon-SRAM Generation will be a continental level team registered in Germany. This is the first time a Women's World Tour team has had a development team. Along with training, coaching, and a structured race schedule, athletes will have stadium opportunities with Canyon-SRAM Racing.

In addition to applicants from North America, Australia, and Europe, riders from countries such as India, Brazil, and Ethiopia have also expressed interest.

"The numbers show that there is a high demand and that there are many athletes around the world who lack the willpower and opportunity to showcase their talent," said team manager Ronnie Lauke.

The selection process, Kalschmid explained, aimed not only to identify talented riders, but also to find riders who shared the team's ambition for diversity and inclusion.

"Therefore, we sought not only applicants' performance data and information about their past successes, but also information about their values, goals, and how they believe they can contribute to the success of the team.

Despite receiving over 200 applications, Kalkschmid was keen that all athletes be given fair consideration and reasons for rejection: "We all have unconscious biases. That is why it is so important to include people with different backgrounds and different questions in the process"

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"Doing so forces everyone to really think about why they want to make a decision in favor of one person or against another, and whether that decision is really based on compelling evidence or rather on personal opinions and preferences."

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The team will announce its final roster in January before holding a joint training camp with the World Tour team.