November 5/24 9:50 am - Alex Volstad Joins EF-Oatly-Cannondale for 2025

Posted by Editoress on 11/5/24
 

Two-time Canadian junior road race champion Alex Volstad will join EF-Oatly-Cannondale next season. She joins fellow Canadians Alison Jackson, Clara Emond and Magdeleine Vallieres-Mill.




The eighteen year old scaled back track racing in 2024 to focus on road racing, and the change paid off. Alex made ten podium appearances racing across Europe and North America this past season, including successfully defending her Junior Canadian road title and adding Junior Canadian Criterium champion to her palmarès.

Alex is still learning where her strengths lie but she knows what she loves to do.

"Descending and sprinting. Anything that goes fast!" she said. "I would say I'm a sprinter but I'm a little bit punchy, too, so I can get over some of the shorter climbs pretty well. I'm developing into a classics type of rider."

Growing up in Calgary, Alberta, Alex spent her winters speed skating and was looking for a summer sport when she had her first track session.

"I did a 'try the track' session in the velodrome when I was 10," she said. "From there, I got into a kids' cycling group and I was doing that for fun in the summers, alongside speed skating which was my main sport. Eventually I took the track a little bit more seriously and then I got into mountain biking a lot, plus cyclocross and road."

"I love the outdoors. I just love exploring places and going as far as I can on my bike and meeting people from all over the world. Honestly, I don't think anything else could have brought me this far across the world. It's a unique experience and I just love it so much," Alex said.

Still a teenager, Alex has navigated major life decisions, like whether to accept an offer to study engineering at university or become a professional athlete, with a maturity beyond her years. EF-Oatly-Cannondale general manager Esra Tromp immediately noticed this quality in Alex.

"I was impressed by her maturity," Esra said. "She's a young woman on a mission, who knows what she wants and what she needs. Alex has a really good sprint, has technical ability, and can read a race. Alex is super young. She'll be a first-year elite next year so we need to make her a program that fits her development. Her great character and great physical capabilities make Alex a perfect addition for our team."

Alex's goals for 2025 are as down-to-earth as she is.

"Next year, I just want to learn as quickly as I can and to get the hang of elite racing," she said. "I'll help my teammates as much as I can and learn from them as much as I can. I think EF-Oatly-Cannondale will be a great team to help me develop. I can learn a lot from the experienced riders here and the bold style of racing inspires me a lot. I'm not nervous but I am buzzing!"