Team dsm-firmenich PostNL is thrilled to reveal that Mara Roldan will join the Women’s program next season. Canadian youngster Roldan is set to ride with the team until at least the end of 2027.
Mara Roldan
From the province of Yukon in Canada, Roldan only tried road cycling for the first time in 2019. She continued to race mostly nationally in the junior ranks in 2021 and 2022, before making the step up to elite level last year, while continuing to ride some U23 events.
The 2024 campaign has been a fruitful one for Roldan with her team Cynisca Cycling. Starting off the season brilliantly, she claimed two stage wins and third overall at Redlands Classic in the USA before her European adventure began in May. Consistent results at Bretagne Ladies Tour and Volta Ciclista a Catalunya saw her return to Canada in fine form, where Roldan powered to the U23 national TT title and finished third in the elite road race; meaning she also took the U23 jersey there too. Heading back over the Atlantic Ocean, it didn’t take long for her to take her first win in Europe with an impressive display on the uphill finish on stage two at the Volta a Portugal. Roldan has continued to prove her consistency over a mix of terrain with 14th place overall at Baloise Ladies Tour being an example of that. Her result included a top ten in both a sprint stage and the time trial.
Roldan said of her new contract: “I am excited to be taking this next step in my cycling career with Team dsm-firmenich PostNL. I have watched this team race on television and looked up to so many of their racers throughout my time as a cyclist. I have a fond memory of ex-rider Leah Kirchman coming to visit us at Watersley during my first junior project with the Canadian National team and giving us some team kit. I have held onto this kit for the last two years and to think that now I get to be a part of this team myself and represent them at the top level still feels surreal!
I was immediately attracted to this team, inspired by the champions they have developed and by the history and success they have had on the professional circuit. Their vision to always keep challenging and achieve victory through working together as a team is something that also really aligns with me. In 2024, I had the chance to compete against the team and I was always impressed and inspired to see how well they race together as a unit. For the upcoming seasons, my goal is to keep challenging myself and developing my strengths and skills as a racer. I am eager to explore my potential with this team and to have the opportunity to test my allrounder abilities against the best in the world. I still have much to learn, but I am confident that with the team’s guidance, mentoring and support then I can continue to grow. The strengths I believe I can bring to this team are my mental resilience and grit, my ability to race multiple different terrains, conditions and style of races, as well as my positivity, as I always try to find the bright side and learning opportunity in every situation. I really look forward to what lies ahead.”
Team dsm-firmenich PostNL head coach Rudi Kemna added: “Mara has proven herself as a strong rider in the American scene this year where she has won races; doing well in both time trials and on the climbs. Originally coming from a mountain bike background, she brings those skills to road cycling and she has impressed those in the bunch and our own riders with that. Now she looks to be someone who can excel in the Flemish and Ardennes classics where the short climbs suit her abilities, but as she is still young, we want to help her develop overall and in the coming years find out where her specialism lies.”
