Megan Armitage unveiled as “aggressive rider” for EF Education-Cannondale

Megan Armitage, one of Irish cycling’s breakthrough riders of the last couple of years, has been unveiled in her new team kit after signing for three years with EF Education-Cannondale.

The Co Offaly woman has come a long way in recent years. Though a promised two-year deal with the B&B Hotels–KTM team fell through around this time last year, she simply dusted herself down and continued her progress through 2023.

First came a new team, Arkéa Pro Cycling Team; Armitage securing a one-year deal before putting in fine performances and being snapped up by EF Education-Cannondale for the next three years. That contract, and her rides last year, put her in a very strong position to contend for the sole Olympic slot on the road for Irish women in Paris later this year.

Armitage already has two pro wins under her belt; a stage and the overall at Vuelta Extremadura Féminas (2.2), the first UCI-ranked stage race ever won by an Irish woman. Later last season she placed 5th in both Giro Toscana Int Femminile (2.2) in Italy and AG Tour de la Semois (2.2) in Belgium and went into those races a strong contender for victory.

Her new team said she sees herself “as an aggressive rider who gets better as the racing gets harder” as well as “a climber who especially loves Liége-Bastogne-Liége”.

“Megan’s hard work and talent quickly became apparent,” the team added of Armitage only racing for the first time during 2020. “She placed second in the Irish road race national championships in 2021, just her second year racing.

“In 2022, she finished twice in the top ten on stages at the Tour Féminin l’Ardèche. She took her first stage race overall in 2023 at the Vuelta Extremadura Féminas where she also won the queen stage and the points jersey.”