EF Education join with TIBCO-SVB as they ascend to Women's WorldTour

EF Education First will join as joint title sponsor for TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank, with the new entrant to the Women's WorldTour in 2022 looking to make a big impact on their ascent to the top level of the sport.

Team TIBCO-SVB on a cobbles recon Source: EF Education-TIBCO-SVB

The team started out with humble beginnings at local US races in 2004 with the goal of getting to a few national events. In 2022, the team will step up to the WorldTour, and EF Education First will join as a co-title partner, joining men's team EF-Nippo and aligning with a number of secondary sponsors and equipment suppliers.

The announcement paints a rosy picture of the focus for the squad in the future, continuing to build on the grassroots and development focus of the team in the past. The team’s original mission — to help women reach their goals in a healthy and supportive environment — remains central. As part of that ethos, all women racing for the team full-time will be paid the men’s WorldTour minimum salary.

"The team is the longest-running women’s team in North America and one of the most tenured in the sport," read the announcement, "thanks to the long-standing support of TIBCO and Silicon Valley Bank. EF Education First is proud to be part of the team as it charts a new course into the future of women’s cycling."

“We’re excited to be part of this team and to help these amazing riders reach their goals. The salary component is incredibly important to all of us, because it allows the riders to pursue the sport full-time,” said Maria Norrman, global chief of staff at EF Education First. “We can’t wait to help add the next chapter in this team’s great history.”

Linda Jackson, team founder who has led the team every step of the way, sees a huge opportunity, for both her team and the sport as a whole.

“I’m thrilled to be a part of the professionalisation of women’s cycling.," said Jackson. "The opportunity these women have now is amazing. I’ve been in the sport for 30 years; I raced in the ‘90s in horrendous conditions and with very little support.

"It’s been a long road, but to see money finally coming into the sport so that women can make a living while racing their bikes is a very gratifying feeling."

Her goal is to steadily improve the team without losing focus on its developmental roots.

“The sporting goal of this team is to be a top five WorldTour team in a few years," she said. "We don’t need to be the number one team in the world. That’s not my objective. My objective is to help these women reach their potential.

“To become Olympians, world champions, World Championship participants, whatever their goals are. EF’s partnership has enabled us to bring on top-tier staff to provide our riders with the infrastructure and support they need to achieve these goals in a supportive environment.”

Several of the EF Education-NIPPO partners will support the EF Education-TIBCO-SVB  team as well, including Cannondale, Rapha, WHOOP, and POC.

The 2021 squad has already seen a number of departures in the off-season, with well-credentialled riders Nina Kessler and Kristen Faulkner leaving for Team BikeExchange, with Eva Buurman heading to Liv. Many Australians will be aware of the high-profile move of Sarah Gigante to Movistar from the American team on a three-year deal after spending an injury-interrupted two seasons with the squad.

The Australian connection also exists with Nicole Frain, who rode for the team in the second half of the 2021 season, with a 2022 contract unconfirmed as yet, with Australians Shannon Malseed, Brodie Chapman, Jo Hogan, Carlee Taylor, Emma Mackie, Helen Kelly and Emma Rickards also riding with the team in the past.

The announcement said that the 2022 team will be composed of "13 riders from six different countries and will welcome seven new riders in 2022, two of which return to the team for the second time. The team will announce its full roster in the coming weeks".