Fee Knaven, a rising Dutch talent, has signed a two-year contract with the UAE Development Team, bringing her exceptional time trial abilities and racing potential to the squad’s roster. The 17-year-old joins a lineup of eight promising riders for the 2025 season, with high hopes of continued growth in her budding career.
Knaven, the daughter of former Paris-Roubaix winner and four-time national cyclocross champion, was quick to embrace the opportunity after initial discussions with the UAE team’s Head of Sport, Cherie Pridham, back in May. “I’m really happy because it’s a new team for me and a new challenge,” she shared. Reflecting on her first interactions with Pridham, Knaven said, “I saw from the very start how much support and help the young riders received, and I knew from those conversations that I wanted to sign for the development team. I felt like I already knew Cherie when we spoke for the first time, and she gave me a lot of belief and confidence.”
Knaven’s 2024 season showcased her determination and competitive edge. She successfully defended her junior national time trial title, clinched second in the European Continental Championships time trial—missing out on gold by just a single second—and finished fourth in the junior time trial at the World Championships in Zurich. “It’s been a good season. I developed as a rider on the climbs and my time trial also improved. I was second at the Europeans, but I wanted to win,” she admitted. A bit of bad luck struck during that European race, where Knaven explained, “I had some bad luck in a corner with another rider and that’s where I lost the title.” Despite that setback, she took pride in her performance at the Worlds, adding, “I was really happy with that and I became the national champion again.”
Looking ahead, Knaven’s development remains the priority as her race calendar is finalised for 2025. She’s particularly enthusiastic about the potential to race alongside WorldTour riders, an experience she believes will be invaluable. “They’re going to work with eight riders from many different nationalities, and what we’ve seen already is that riders from the development team have progressed into the WorldTour,” Knaven noted. “My first year will be about learning from the more experienced riders and growing at my own pace. It’ll be exciting to race with the WorldTour riders if I get the chance.” Setting her sights on refining her time trial skills and tackling the Classics, Knaven expressed her focus: “I want to develop my TT even more and learn more about the Classics. I think that I can climb quite well, but that’s another area where I can see improvements for the future. I’m looking forward to the new races and getting to know new people.”
Melissa Moncada, President and Head of UAE Team ADQ, praised Knaven’s background and work ethic. “We are thrilled to welcome Fee Knaven to the team for 2025,” she stated. “Fee is a talented young rider from a family deeply rooted in cycling and its culture. She brings her talent and a dedicated work ethic to our team. We believe that with the resources and mentorship available through our development programme, she will have every opportunity to unlock new levels in her performance.”
Fee Knaven’s move from AG Insurance-Soudal marks a full transition from the Knaven family’s connection to that team. Her family, well-known in cycling circles, are reforming their original NXTG development outfit for 2025.
Main photo credit: Sportfoto
