Rising cycling star Kim Cadzow has started another year strong after earning two wins at Cycling New Zealand Elite National Time Trial and Road Race earlier this month.

Kim (23), who lives in Luggate when she is not training with EF Education-Oatly WorldTour team in Europe, said she was “super happy” to take both the national road and time trial champion titles.

“It's not something I believed I could achieve - [winning] both in one year,” she said.

Kim has a knack for surpassing expectations: she was selected to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games just a few years after she first took up the sport.

She has also earned a spot as a full-time professional cyclist employed with EF Education-Cannondale and she spends most of the year training and competing all over Europe.

It’s an impressive upward trajectory for any cyclist, but especially one who only started cycling after she finished school.

Kim spoke to the Wānaka App after returning to Europe last week.

“This year will be busy,” she said. “I started my season in January racing on the road for my team EF and this will continue until October. 

“Some of the racing can last for up to eight days and some one day events. In one year I will race around 45-50 days.”

Despite her rapid success, Kim is taking a steady approach to the sport.

“This year I'm looking forward just to keep progressing my cycling and finding out where my limits are,” Kim said.

“I am still incredibly young in the sport so I continue to look to develop and improve while enjoying the riding.” 

PHOTO: Supplied