Human Powered Health have completed the signing of Daria Pikulik from ATOM Deweloper Posciellux.pl Wrocław. The 25-year-old sprinter from Poland joins for 2023 and will add firepower to the squad at flat races.
A road sprinter with a track background, Pikulik has had a successful season with victory in the Districtenpijl – Ekeren-Deurne, four top-five finishes at the Baloise Ladies Tour and recently fifth in the European championships road race, with a bronze medal in the Madison.
“That team attracted me because a squad with a good atmosphere with a race calendar that I like is important to me,” Pikulik said on joining Human Powered Health. “I like flat and windy races but also like small hills that make races more difficult.”
2023 will be Pikulik’s first at the Women’s WorldTour level, an opportunity she is relishing.
“This will be my first year as a pro, so I really want to be a better rider, develop and just learn how to race on this level,” she explained. “Of course, If I have a chance and good legs I will try my best to win some races for the team.”
“Daria is still so new on the road And looking forward to seeing her continued development of being a fast finisher,” said women’s team director Joanne Kiesanowski.
Growing up on the north coast of Poland, Pikulik was inspired to ride as a young teenager and was motivated by her grandfather.
“When I wanted to join our local team in Darłowo he told me that, I will start and after three weeks I might give up,” she explains. “Those words motivated me so much that I just wanted to prove to him that I will be a cyclist and I still race today.”
From there, Pikulik became an accomplished track cyclist, standing on the podium at both European and world levels and competing in the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. This season was the first that Pikulik focussed on the road above the boards and she carried her skills across to help in the hectic finales against the likes of Lorena Wiebes.
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“The track is really fast and dangerous which helps me a lot with sprinting.”
Off the bike, the Pole likes spending her time watching other sports and cooking.
“I really like to spend my time in the kitchen cooking pasta, and meats with vegetables and I like to bake cakes and buns,” she ends.
Human Powered Health looks forward to welcoming Pikulik, the program’s first ever Polish athlete, to the ranks in 2023. Stay tuned for another rider announcement soon.
