Nina Berton signs with EF-Oatly-Cannondale with focus on the classics

Nina Berton

Nina Berton, a young talent from Luxembourg, will join EF-Oatly-Cannondale in 2025, ready to make her mark in the world of classic races. The 23-year-old rider, in just her third season, is quickly gaining attention for her strength and focus on the longer, more demanding races.

โ€œThe classics are the races that I enjoy the most,โ€ she said. โ€œI really enjoy a long, hard day of racing, especially if the weather is not so good. I still need to learn a lot, but my goal for the classics season is to be of use to my teammates so we can get a good result.โ€

EF-Oatly-Cannondaleโ€™s general manager, Esra Tromp, shared her enthusiasm about the signing, calling Berton a determined and hardworking addition. โ€œNina is super passionate and determined. She wants a long career and to develop step by step,โ€ Tromp said. โ€œShe doesnโ€™t give up easily, wants to work really hard, and can be super versatile. That makes her a great addition to our roster.โ€

Bertonโ€™s focus on her role in classic races reflects her style on the bike. Known as an aggressive racer, she doesnโ€™t shy away from breakaways and enjoys pushing her limits in tough race conditions. โ€œIโ€™m quite an aggressive rider. If I get the chance to go into breakaways, I love to do this,โ€ she explained. โ€œI also love the hard races where you have to push through, and itโ€™s a real effort to survive. I love this aspect of fighting against yourself but also the team aspect where you race together, and so you push each other.โ€

Nina Berton
Nina Berton

The decision to sign with EF-Oatly-Cannondale was clear for Nina Berton. โ€œThe teamโ€™s culture and vision matched what I was looking for,โ€ she said. โ€œThereโ€™s a lot of focus on being a person and not just an athlete. If your mind is happy, then performance can follow. I think there are a lot of areas where I can still grow and improve, and Iโ€™m excited to work on these with the team. Plus, the idea of building up this team so we can win big races is quite an exciting adventure.โ€

Bertonโ€™s experience and mindset have shaped her approach to racing as well. Through cycling, she says, sheโ€™s learned the importance of patience in building her career. โ€œAs a young athlete, you always want to reach the top of the sport as fast as possible, but it doesnโ€™t work that way. So Iโ€™ve learned to be patient and to go one step at a time,โ€ she shared.