Babette turned pro in 2023 and quickly earned a trio of top ten results on stages at the Baloise Ladies Tour and at Antwerp Port Epic Ladies, Drentse Acht van Westerveld, and Grote Prijs Beerens.

Cycling was a big part of Babette’s household growing up, but turning pro was never a foregone conclusion. Her father, a former pro, was wrapping up his career when Babette and her older sister were young children. The family went on bike rides together and when her older sister started to ride with a local club, little Babette wanted to be just like her. As the pair continued to ride through their teenage years, “We had different strengths so through training together, we just made each other stronger,” Babette explained.

Years later, Babette knows her strengths and what areas she is still working on.

“I’m the type of rider who races with a lot of heart,” Babette said. “I don’t have the biggest engine in the race but I do have a vision of how the race is going to play out, so I am able to react immediately or to communicate to my teammates what is about to happen and we can respond. I’m also someone who gets a second wind, so if I’m feeling cooked in a group and we’re all on the limit, I can usually still dig and find some freshness in my legs.”

Having grown up in the Netherlands, Babette loves racing in the wind.

“If there’s a lot of wind, that makes me excited. I know I am really Dutch when I say that I love a hard echelon day. Maybe add in some cobbles and punchy climbs. I just enjoy a hard race,” she said.

Signing an up-and-coming rider with a deep understanding of the sport was a priority for EF-Oatly-Cannondale general manager, Esra Tromp.

“Babette is a young Dutch bike rider who understands the game of cycling,” Esra said. “She has a fast finish, has super skills on the bike, and isn't afraid to work really hard to become stronger. She’s a rider with energy and a positive mindset. I am happy to add Babette to our roster, full of young talented riders, because I see she can develop into a really strong classics rider.”

Between training and racing, Babette’s free time is limited, but that hasn’t stopped her from pursuing another passion. Currently, she is enrolled in an online course focused on medical science.

“Sometimes it’s helpful to take a mental break from cycling. A couple of years ago, I became really interested in biology and how the body functions. As a cyclist, I demand a lot of my body so exploring this subject is fascinating. We’ll see what my racing career brings but one day I would like to unlock my potential in this field. For now, I just really enjoy continuing my studies,” she said.

“A sport like cycling, at times you suffer so much for it but I always get back so much from it,” Babette said. “I ride my bike because I really love it and this is something I want to keep doing for many years. There are deep downs, massive ups, but in the end, this job allows me to travel a lot. I see a lot of people and I do beautiful races and I grow with my team. My new teammates inspire me. Getting to race with riders like them and follow my dreams makes me feel like this is not just a job because I really love doing it.”

We love it, too. Welcome to EF-Oatly-Cannondale, Babette!