Carmen Small Extends With Bigla After Successful Collaboration
Carmen Small will continue with the Bigla Pro Cycling Team into 2016. The American who joined the team halfway through the year says she felt like she has belonged and is excited to start 2016 fresh, with the focus on the Olympic games.
“From day one showing up at the Giro, not knowing anyone, it was a brand new team for me and I just felt like I belonged and was accepted,” the 35 year old said. “It felt like I had been here from the beginning. Coming in in the middle of the year can be tricky and could be a negative thing but it transitioned so well for me.”
The news comes after contract extensions for Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio, Lotta Lepistö, Clara Koppenburg and Lisa Klein have all been announced as well as new signing Stephanie Pohl.
“I couldn’t even fathom changing again. I have the same vision as [Team Manager] Thomas Campana and it helps. I really clicked with Ashleigh and I really look forward to racing with her some more next year. Her contract extension was an important part in my decision.”
Small continued, “I enjoyed my half season with the team and am looking forward to a new start next year. I’ll be going into the new season with the goal of the Olympics. I think focusing on a big goal like that is better if you’re settled. This year was very up and down and I’m looking forward to being set and having a solid team and staff around me.”
Small is known for her time trial ability and will represent the United States of America at the upcoming world championships in the discipline. Team manager Thomas Campana has coached riders to victory in the discipline before and last week Klein made mentioned of his ability to help riders improve. Small agreed.
“He is a good motivator and he is passionate about it and it carries over to the riders,” she weighed in. “If he cares and believes in you he wants to see the best for the riders. I think that carries over to how you do in the race.”
“We’re very happy that Carmen has felt welcomed in the team,” Campana said. “She is an integral part of our team for the leadouts, individual time trial as well as the team time trial. She’s an experienced athletes who is great at giving product feedback to our Partners and is an asset to any team.”
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