When guests experience the smooth, calm flow of a Grand Tours Project tour, much of that precision comes from people like Sigrid. A former professional cyclist, we were fortunate to work closely with Sigrid during the 2025 season as part of the GTP support team on key tours such as the REK Tour de France and the Tuscany Women’s Camp.
Sigrid Corneo is a former professional road cyclist whose career spanned more than 15 years at the highest level of women’s cycling, building an experience defined by calm precision, authority, and deep knowledge of the sport.
Sigrid Corneo at the 2009 UCI World Championships
Career highlights
- Born in Lecco, Italy (1971), of Italian descent; later represented Slovenia internationally
- Professional rider from the mid-1990s until 2010
- Competed for multiple UCI Women’s Teams including Nobili Rubinetterie, Menikini–Selle Italia, and Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
- 4 professional victories, including:
- Slovenian National Road Race Champion (2009)
- Stage wins at the Tour Cycliste Féminin and Vuelta Ciclista Femenina a El Salvador
- Podium finishes in major stage races:
- Winner — Tour Féminin en Limousin (2007)
- 3rd overall — Vuelta Ciclista Femenina a El Salvador (2005)
- Represented Slovenia at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing
- Peak ProCyclingStats ranking: 25th worldwide (2005)
Sigrid’s racing career ended naturally at 39 after many years at the highest level, but her passion for cycling never disappeared — it simply changed form. She never rode “just for pleasure”; for her, cycling was always about racing, climbing, and pushing limits. Today, that same intensity is channeled into her full-time work running her racing team and managing logistics, partnerships, and day-to-day operations that keep teams and riders moving.
Together with her husband and sister, Sigrid is part of a small, dedicated company of four people working year-round, with no real off-season. As soon as one season ends in October, preparation for the next begins immediately: sponsors, equipment, vehicles, staff, fuel, salaries, and constant coordination with race organizers. It is demanding, relentless work, often meaning months away from home and nights spent on the road rather than in her own bed.
After the Grand Tours Project Tour de France tours, filled with transfers, logistics, and long days on the road, we had a moment during the transfer from Paris to Switzerland for this candid conversation about life behind the scenes of professional cycling and her transition from racing to team management.
E: How do you choose riders for your team?
S: My husband selects them. He’s also a coach.E: As your father — was he your trainer?
S: Yes. My father trained young riders. He was very supportive, never strict.E: That must have been special.
S: My dad was happy only if I came back safe. He was my first fan.S: One time in the Tour de France, I was in a breakaway on Mont Ventoux. My father was there with a bottle. I saw him and said, “Papa!” He was so surprised!
E: Wow…
S: Now when I’m with GTP, I call him and say, “Papa, I’m in Mont Ventoux again.” He’s 85 now. I still call him.E: That’s beautiful.
S: Yes. Very beautiful memories.
We’re looking forward to continuing our collaboration with Sigrid on future tours. Her story reflects something we value deeply at Grand Tours Project: the people behind the experience. The quiet professionalism, long days, unseen logistics, and deep love for the sport are what allow our guests to focus purely on riding, racing, and enjoying the journey.
Written by Elnura, Grand Tours Project Team, with AI-assisted editing.