Sarah Gigante will be racing for the first time in nearly eight months after myocarditis kept her out of the peloton and delayed her return to racing in Australia with COVID-19, making her debut as Movistar's newest competitor at the Danilis Nokele Coase on Wednesday, March 16.

The 21-year-old rider emerged on the scene by winning Australia's elite national road title at the age of 18, and in the years that followed, he consistently outpaced the country's top elite pro riders when he returned to racing in his home country.

However, after spending the past two years with TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank, injuries, health issues, and the COVID-19 pandemic have prevented Gigante from getting a chance to make his mark in Europe. If all goes according to plan this year, the promising young rider will begin his first full season in Europe this week without interruption.

"Who has the biggest smile on their face this Monday? We are so happy to have Sarah make her Movistar Team debut at @NokereKoerse on Wednesday."

Fiercely competitive on the bike but quick to smile off it, the rider, who has been off the bike for a long time due to a combination of myocarditis and pericarditis (the bag that surrounds the heart) inflammation, is back to race fitness and starting her season in Australia with ease The plan was to start the season in Australia with ease.

Defending her national time trial title at the Road National Championships in January was out of the question as her recovery was too early, but the February National Road Series included the Mitchelton Tour of Gippsland and the 160km Rochard Energy Women's Warrnambool Classic. However, she tested positive for COVID-19 and was quarantined instead.

This moved her restart to Europe, where she was placed alongside new teammates Jelena Elich, Ode Biernik, Barbara Guariski, Alicia González, and Lourdes Oyarbide in the Danilis Nokele Coors. Gigante will take on the 126-km 1.pro race, which will be centered on the cobbled Nocera Belg climb.

"Nerves are kicking in very early this time," an enthusiastic Gigante said on Twitter.