Marit Raaijmakers extends contract with Human Powered Health through 2025

Marit Raaijmakers

Marit Raaijmakers has committed to Human Powered Health Cycling, extending her contract through 2025. The 25-year-old Dutch all-rounder, who joined the team in 2022, has proven to be an essential part of the squad, particularly in her role within Daria Pikulik’s sprint lead-out train. She finished as runner-up in this yearโ€™s Vuelta CV Feminas and has participated in all three Grand Tours since joining the team.

โ€œIโ€™m honoured to continue,โ€ Raaijmakers expressed. โ€œFor me, itโ€™s a sign of respect and appreciation. I have been around from the start of Human Powered Health and we started with just soil. Slowly the grass started growing and now becomes greener.โ€

Reflecting on her journey, Raaijmakers remarked, โ€œWhen I signed with the team I was 21 and came from a complete Dutch team. In the past three years, I experienced many different cultures and personalities. An American team with so many nationalities from different continents has allowed me to broaden my horizons which I will be forever grateful for. The trips, travels, and people made it special and I look forward to creating more history.โ€

Team Manager Kenny Latomme has also been vocal about Raaijmakers’ contributions and potential. โ€œWe are still learning the full capacity of Marit,โ€ he noted. โ€œThis year she has been at the hilly races in Spain, climbing, doing lead-out and TTs and weโ€™re asking her to go full gas. These are crucial in stage racing and sheโ€™s good in all of those disciplines, a very good helper and she always gives her best for her teammates.โ€

Raaijmakers, who has developed her skills from track cycling, will focus entirely on road racing in 2025. โ€œAt the moment Iโ€™m an all-round rider on the team,โ€ she explains. โ€œI do the last lead-out position, I do hilly classics, I support GC riders in the mountains, and I have a decent time trial. But now, with complete focus on the road, Iโ€™m all in on pushing the limits of my potential even further.โ€

Her long-term commitment is grounded in her belief in the team’s vision. โ€œIf grass elsewhere looks greener, itโ€™s probably fake,โ€ she stated. โ€œItโ€™s about fertile soil for long-term success. I believe in this teamโ€™s vision and plan and want to be around for the harvest.โ€