Lizzy Banks joins Ceratizit-WNT for 2021 cycling season following Equipe Paule Ka closure

Lizzy Banks has joined Ceratizit-WNT following the closure of Equipe Paule Ka. Ceratizit-WNT have also added new signings Marta Lach and Lotta Henttala to their 14-rider roster for the 2021 season.

"I’m delighted to be joining Ceratizit-WNT in 2021, we’re all aware of the difficult situation that led to this transfer but sometimes out of a difficult situation can arise a fantastic opportunity and this is what has happened here," the 30-year-old Brit said in a team press release.

Banks renewed with Equipe Paule Ka for next year before the announced they would fold immediately. The women’s continental Tour team lost investments from Bigla and Katusha in April as the impact of coronavirus hit the sport. But the team were rescued by French company Paule Ka in June with a supposed three-and-a-half year deal. However, a rescue package never materialised with the team confirming the sponsors had not fulfilled any of their scheduled payments since August.

Banks told Eurosport last month she felt "hugely let down".

She said: "Hugely let down by their owner Matthias [Thomas] who threw us a lifeline and we were all so grateful and so much praise was given towards him when he came on board in the middle of a pandemic, committed to us with three-and-a-half years and we paid that back immediately by going out there and getting so many results which are unheard of for WorldTour teams sometimes, let alone a small continental team who has managed to raise its way up to fourth in the world.

"We believe we had everything going for us, a small team fighting, achieving and getting results at the highest level and we were going to continue to do so for the next three years and we were working towards to becoming a WorldTour and then it suddenly all gets ripped from you."