Top Dutch triathlete Maya Kingma has revealed she has landed a new pro cycling contract and will focus on that sport rather than swim, bike and run for at least the first part of 2026.
Kingma is a two-time Olympian, coming 11th in Tokyo and then seventh behind Cassandre Beaugrand in Paris in 2024.
Her biggest triathlon success came at WTCS Leeds in 2021 when she got the better of home favourite Jess Learmonth, with her most recent success in September 2024 at the World Triathlon Cup Karlovy Vary.
But in the middle of 2025 pro cycling outfit EF Education-Oatly announced that Kingma had joined their team after impressing at a training camp.
She made her debut for them at the Giro d’Italia in July but unfortunately that race was ended early when a crash saw her sustain a wrist injury.
‘Full focus on cycling’
But Kingma has now revealed that the next stage of her cycling career will be with UCI Women’s Pro Continental Team Aromitalia 3T Vaiano.
Writing on Instagram, Kingma said: “Full focus on cycling with @aromitalia3tvaiano this year!
“I got the opportunity to try pro cycling last year, and I am really eager to give it a serious try!
“Right now, cycling gives me what I’m looking for: varied courses, long climbs that suit my strengths, more tactics, and real team racing. It motivates me and makes me genuinely happy to train and race. 😎”
‘I am not saying goodbye to triathlon’
She added: “It may not come as a surprise, but the working environment in Olympic triathlon, is not the environment that makes me the athlete I can be. And it also doesn’t make me happy as a person, quite the contrary unfortunately.
“I am not saying goodbye to triathlon and I’m still running & swimming, just a bit less and more (specific) cycling training. I might race triathlons in the second half of this year. I will choose what makes me a happy and thus a well-performing athlete!
“But for the first few months of this year, I’m fully into a new challenge with my new team! This Italian continental team will give me some good (climbing) races to show and test myself. I’m looking forward to meet and race with the team soon! 🤗”
Kingma has been one of three female triathletes leading the way in terms of cycling.
Paula Findlay is a multiple Canadian time trial champion as well as one of triathlon’s top stars, while three-time 70.3 World Champion Taylor Knibb represented Team USA in the time trial at the Paris Olympics as well as taking silver in triathlon’s Mixed Team Relay.
