Esra Tromp is taking on the role of general director for EF Education-Cannondale, EF Education-EasyPost’s new women’s team. Before this, she managed Jumbo-Visma’s women’s team until May this year.
In June, EF Education-EasyPost revealed their new women’s team, which was surprising, as there is already an EF Education-TIBCO-SVB team. The situation concerning ownership and licensing is unclear, which raises questions about the relationship between the two teams.
Tromp will manage the team and has been part of Jumbo-Visma Women’s development since 2021. “When you start a new team, you usually start by finding staff members and some riders who fit into the new environment,” she says. “I build a team around the talent of the riders and the strength of the staff. These are things I keep in mind when I try to create a balanced group of riders and staff members with different personalities, characters, and talents.”
Tromp’s vision for the future is clear. “After 2024, I think this team has the potential to become one of the best teams in the world, a team that is capable of winning all kinds of different types of races in all kinds of different conditions. Whether it’s the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, or the Tour of Flanders. Of course, there will be challenges to build the team from scratch. It’s brand new, and there is no history, so we have to fill in a blank slate. That’s something I love very much.”
Jonathan Vaughters, the CEO of EF Education-EasyPost, welcomes Tromp and sees great value in her deep understanding of women’s cycling. “We welcome Esra to the team and we’re looking forward to working with her,” he says. “Her knowledge and leadership will set our new team up quickly with a great foundation to build on.”
Tromp is attracted to the team’s unique identity, saying, “I think it’s really cool that EF Pro Cycling is a little bit different from other teams. I’ll join a few of the men’s races in the upcoming months to really see what this team is all about.”
Her enthusiasm for cycling is shared by Maria Norrman, president of EF Pro Cycling, who welcomes Tromp, stating, “This is an exciting new chapter in the history of EF Pro Cycling and we are thrilled to bring Esra Tromp on board to lead the charge.” She praises Tromp’s commitment to empowering women and girls in cycling, making her an ideal fit for the team’s vision.
