Racing
Kim Cadzow shines at Liège-Bastogne-Liège
Kiwi has breakout ride in final monument of the spring
April 21, 2024
Three years ago, if you had told Kim Cadzow that she would be compete for the win at one of cycling’s biggest races, she probably wouldn’t have believed you but today she did just that.
The 22-year-old Kiwi put on a career defining ride at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, attacking with 96 kilometers to go and then racing the world's best in a thrilling finale to the Ardennes monument.
“I was so tired at the end there that I knew I had to keep going and do whatever work I could in the break to help the girls,” said Kim at the line. “I just tried my best and in the end it’s not a podium but I’m still super happy.”
The squad came in with an ambitious race plan, to attack from the get go and take matters into their own hands.
“Yesterday we made a game plan based on what we think the girls are good at and what their strengths are,” said team EF Education-Cannondale general manager Esra Tromp. “The plan was to be in the break. They did an amazing job covering all the moves and attacks at the start. Then our plan was to have Kim go on the attack halfway through the race as we wanted to have an advantage going into La Redoute. The way it played out was the best scenario for us. We were fighting for the win. Our team slogan is ‘shoot for the moon’ so we did.”
After strong rides from Veronica Ewers, Magdeleine Vallieres, Clara Edmond, Clara Koppenburg and Lizzie Stannard to control the attacks in the first part of the the race, Kim launched her attack with 96-kilometers to go.
“I had my doubts this morning and my team just came around me and gave me so much confidence and they believed in me and when I attacked,” said Kim. “They just put me out front and we just went from there.”
Kim rode hard on the front, forming an elite trio with eventual race winner Grace Brown (FDJ) and Élise Chabbey (CSR) on La Redoute. The three of them worked well together heading into la Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons with a charging peloton behind.
As the gap came down, Brown launched an attack and while it looked like Kim was dropped, the Kiwi kept fighting and eventually clawed her way back onto her wheel.
They were joined from the back by a strong group of race favorites as they descended back into Liège. After all the work she had put in up to that point, Kim was still able to close down moves and followed the group into the final kilometer.
While she didn’t have the legs to sprint at the end, Kim rolled across the line in sixth place just a few bike lengths behind the winner. It’s a race to be proud of and a race that the Kiwi knows will fill her with self-belief.
“This gives me a lot of confidence,” said Kim. “I’ve had a lot of doubts in cycling over the years and it’s really nice to have a little bit more confidence.”
She’s come a long way since her days working as a salmon packer in New Zealand just four years ago.
Magdeleine, who was the first teammate to congratulate Kim after the finish, said it best. “I told you you could do it.”
The sky is the limit for our Kiwi superstar, we know it. Congrats, squad! What a way to round off the first Spring classics campaign in EF Education-Cannondale’s history.