Carmen Small has left Jumbo-Visma and will join the newly established US-registered Continental team EF Education-Cannondale as lead sports director in 2024.
In a team press release, Small said that she looks forward to being part of an American team and working alongside the team's general manager, Esra Tromp.
“I think I’ve found a good home. It’s an American team, and I’m an American. Even though the team is European-based and we have a strong, international roster, this is super nice for me because I’ve only ever been on foreign teams. It’s really nice to think about going to US nationals. I’ve never gotten to do nationals as a director, so I’m super excited about that," Small said.
“Working with Esra, I’ve only had positive experiences. I believe in her. She’s an incredible manager. She really knows how to bring out the best in people and how to foster the goodness in a team. Getting to work with Esra was number one.”
Small retired from professional racing in 2017 with a long list of achievements that include winning the time trial title twice at the US National Championships, the time trial title at the Pan American Championships, and the bronze medal in the time trial at the World Championships.
She was also part of the Specialized-lululemon teams that won the world titles in the team time trial at the World Championships in 2013 and 2014.
Following her cycling career, Small became a sports director for teams Virtu Cycling and Ceratizit-WNT before joining Jumbo-Visma as a director in 2021, where she spent three seasons working with Tromp.
“When Esra approached me about this team, it was super interesting because it’s a first-year program. I had experience with Team Virtu to build that team up, so I’m not new to the game of new teams, but this was nice because while, of course, EF Education-Cannondale has the infrastructure set up from the men’s side, it’s a blank slate," Small said.
"That gives you the opportunity to build and create something new and see what you can develop out of it. That was interesting to me.”
EF Pro Cycling announced in June that they will start a new women's team, racing as EF Education-Cannondale and that it will begin as a Continental women's team in 2024.
Since that announcement, the team has signed 14 riders: Megan Armitage, Letizia Borghesi, Kim Cadzow, Clara Emond, Veronica Ewers, Kristen Faulkner, Lotta Henttala, Alison Jackson, Nina Kessler, Clara Koppenburg, Coryn Labecki, Noemi Rüegg, Elizabeth Stannard and Magdeleine Vallieres.
“I love the philosophy of the team. The playfulness of it. They’re fun but also serious. They’re very professional, but at the same time, they can have a laugh and create something that’s a little bit different. You notice this from the outside. It’s not ‘we have to be serious and not smile and not laugh in order to win races.’ So let’s laugh a bit, enjoy what we’re doing, and then success will come," Small said.
Small highlighted the importance of fostering good communication, cohesion and a healthy and helpful environment, which she believes is fundamental to a team's success.
“One thing I’ve learned as a fundamental is that you have to have each other’s backs. That’s not just riders, that’s also the staff. You want to create an environment that’s helpful," she explained.
"Maybe on paper, it’s not your job to go do a certain task, but you want to help your teammate, and so you just do it. I think Esra and I see eye to eye on that. We both want to build an environment where we’re all helping each other to be successful," Small said.
“Having a good relationship with the riders, being able to communicate to them what my expectation is, I think, is a really big deal. That means having a lot of pre-race talks, and then in the race, I'm their motivator. I try to get the best out of them as riders.”
Small compared being a sports director with her previous profession as a math teacher.
“Being a DS is, in a lot of ways, very similar to being a teacher. You have to be organized. You have a lesson plan, a race plan. But it’s also about keeping riders accountable," she said.
Small said she loves her job as a sports director, working with the riders because they give her motivation and energy.
"I love helping them prepare mentally, and I love motivating them. The main thing I feel when I’m at work is excitement. I always got nervous as a rider, and now I’m not nervous. The riders have to do the hard work while I get to stay in the car and talk on the radio. If we’re coming into the finale of a race and I know we can win, I’m still not nervous, but I am prepared. I’m bracing myself, and I’m ready for the excitement," Small said.
"That feeling doesn’t change whether it’s a camp or a race. It’s the same feeling for me throughout the season. I get that same motivation every time. Whether it’s a development race or the Tour de France, I do my job exactly the same, and I love it exactly the same.”
