Kim Cadzow has inked a new deal with EF Education-Cannondale that will see her racing with the American team in 2025. The New Zealand time trial champion joined the newly-launched Continental outfit this season and renewed her contract after a strong spring campaign and promising performances on the Women's WorldTour.
“I’m developing a lot faster than I thought I would, especially compared to last year. I’m amazed at how quickly things are happening. In terms of bike handling and technique, I’ve grown a lot. I’ve learned about how to race in the peloton, about riding, nutrition, recovery, and training," Cadzow said.
"The team is really good at giving us the knowledge behind why we do what we do. I really trust in the team’s plan for me and my development.”
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After winning the time trial title and finishing second in the road race at the New Zealand Championships in February, Cadzow went on to win the overall title at Trofeo Ponente in Rosa.
She then turned heads at the Ardennes Classics with a sixth place at Liège-Bastogne-Liège and then went on to take three top-10 stage finishes and 10th overall at the Vuelta España Femenina. Given that this is only her second full season of racing, Cadzow explained that she has exceeded her own expectations at EF Education-Cannondale.
“What’s awesome about this team is the group that’s around me at dinner. We have a laugh at the table, we have a laugh on the bike, we have a laugh at the races. It’s like having a big group of sisters around," she said.
"We always back each other, and we expect each other to do their best, but whatever happens, we’re always there to support each other, which makes it easier for me to race and train my hardest.”
With a background in triathlon, Cadzow said she is focused on developing her bike handling, cornering and navigating the peloton.
“I want to keep going how I’ve been going! I don’t want to change anything and that is exactly why I’ve re-signed with the team. I just keep focusing on my technique, my training, and learning, and I think results will come from that," she said.
"I want to learn how to be a GC rider in the future and learn how to better cope with fatigue. I think I’m only going to continue to grow by staying with the team."
The team's general manager, Esra Tromp, said Cadzow shows an exceptional work ethic, which the team was looking for in its riders, a quality that will help her grow in the professional ranks.
“When I first met Kim, she was extremely new to the sport and had only done some small races. I saw a really ambitious rider who wanted to discover herself on the bike, which was really exciting to me," Tromp said.
"There are two basic but essential qualities in a successful rider: the ability to work hard and her physical capabilities. Kim had both. We knew that from there, she could learn and develop.
“This year, Kim has already made a big step. I see her growing as an athlete. She is already more comfortable in the bunch. She still has room to grow, but she can now think about tactics while she’s in the thick of a race, so that’s a really big step. She’s grown a lot as a person. Kim wants to succeed, and she’s ready to invest in her own career.”
