“I’m hugely motivated to join Team Jumbo-Visma”, Small says from her new home in the Basque Country. “I think it is a great opportunity for me to learn and grow as a sports director as well as bring some of my knowledge to the team. We share the same philosophy on the meaning of a team and teamwork, mutual respect, and the drive and motivation to be the best in the world. I am very much looking forward to this adventure and can’t wait to get started.”

Manager Esra Tromp of Team Jumbo-Visma Women is convinced that she has secured a suitable race coach with Small. “I already knew her as a rider, but also as a sports director in recent years. It always struck me how well she took care of things. And also how strong she was tactically. Carmen succeeds very well in getting everyone to point in the same direction. We want to grow to a higher level every year. That is a joint ambition and Carmen has the experience to realise that”, Tromp says.

As a race coach, Small forms a duo with Lieselot Decroix. The contract of the Belgian has been converted from part-time to full-time. In addition to her work in the sports director’s car, Decroix’s duties within the performance team are also expanded. Marieke van Wanroij mainly focuses on personal development. Decroix primarily focuses on the scientific aspects of training, testing and the material.

Postma’s future lies elsewhere as the sports director role did not sufficiently match his professional ambitions. “I look back on a great time as a race coach”, he says. “So it was a difficult decision. We had a great first season and the team has what it takes to perform even better in 2022.”