American Carmen Small will join the Jumbo-Visma Women's Team as a sports director in 2022, the team announced on Friday.
Small, 41, has been a DS at the Ceratizit-WNT squad for the past two seasons, having made the transition to directing with Team Virtu after retiring from her successful professional cycling career. Small will replace Marco Postma, who has decided to focus on his personal coaching business.
"I'm hugely motivated to join Team Jumbo-Visma", Small said in a team press release. "I think it is a great opportunity for me to learn and grow as a sports director as well as bring some of my knowledge to the team.
"We share the same philosophy on the meaning of a team and teamwork, mutual respect, and the drive and motivation to be the best in the world. I am very much looking forward to this adventure and can't wait to get started."
Team manager Esra Tromp raced at the same time as Small – both retired in 2017 – and is confident she will help the team raise its level.
"I already knew her as a rider, but also as a sports director in recent years," Tromp said. "It always struck me how well she took care of things. And also how strong she was tactically. Carmen succeeds very well in getting everyone to point in the same direction. We want to grow to a higher level every year. That is a joint ambition and Carmen has the experience to realise that", Tromp says.
Small will work together with Lieselot Decroix, who will become a full-time member combining directing with training, testing and equipment.
Jumbo-Visma had a successful first year in 2021, with Marianne Vos taking seven victories including Gent-Wevelgem and the Amstel Gold Race in addition to two stage wins in the Giro d'Italia Donne and second place at the inaugural Paris-Roubaix. Anna Henderson won four races, two stages and the GC at the Tour de Belle Isle en Terre - Kreiz Breizh Elites Dames and the British time trial title, and Reijane Markus won a stage of the Ladies Tour of Norway.
Postma said he had a great time as coach for the team and the decision to leave was a difficult one. "We had a great first season and the team has what it takes to perform even better in 2022," he said.
Team Jumbo-Visma has brought on several new signings for next year, with sprinter Coryn Labecki (nee Rivera) along with Linda Riedmann and Noemi Rüegg confirmed for 2022.
