Lisa Bone has earned a WorldTour contract with EF Education-Oatly, with the Cycle Nation rider set to join the women’s squad from 2027.
The 27-year-old South African will race for EF Education-Oatly during the 2027 and 2028 seasons. Her move follows a standout year across road and gravel, and marks a major career step.
Bone’s rise has come through Cycle Nation, where her results have established her among South Africa’s leading female cyclists. Her progression from domestic racing to the professional peloton also marks an important moment for the team.
WorldTour contract follows a 2026 breakthrough
Bone’s WorldTour contract comes after her most successful season to date. She opened her 2026 campaign with silver in the elite women’s road race at the South African National Road Championships in February.
In March, she delivered one of her defining performances by winning the Cape Town Cycle Tour. That result confirmed her position among the strongest riders on the South African road scene.
Bone also expanded her programme into international gravel racing during the season. At The Ceder, a UCI Gravel World Series round in the Western Cape, she finished second against established gravel specialists.
She then gained further experience in Europe, racing major events including The Traka in Spain and Marly Gravel in the Netherlands.
Back in South Africa, Bone added another national championship silver medal at the South African Gravel Championships in June.
Her strongest gravel result followed in August at Around the Pot in Swellendam. Racing the UCI Gravel World Series event, Bone broke clear and rode solo to victory. She finished more than 16 minutes ahead of the chasers.
Her season also included a top-ten finish at the Bucks County Classic in the United States.
Together, those results showed her ability across different disciplines, surfaces and racing environments. They also helped attract attention from one of the leading teams in women’s professional cycling.
Cycle Nation milestone for women’s cycling
For Cycle Nation, Bone’s move represents more than a single rider’s success. It underlines the team’s long-term aim of creating pathways for South African women in cycling.
Since its establishment in 2009, Cycle Nation has worked to give female riders a competitive environment and meaningful support. The team has pursued race wins and national titles, while also aiming to help riders progress beyond domestic competition.
Bone’s move to the Women’s WorldTour gives that approach a clear result. It also shows how domestic teams can help prepare South African athletes for international racing.
Cycle Nation Team Manager Lincoln King said the team had always viewed its role as broader than winning races. He said the aim was to create an environment where talented women could develop and pursue opportunities at the highest level.
King added that Bone had earned the opportunity through her performances, commitment and determination. He described her move to the WorldTour as a proud moment for Cycle Nation.
The signing also offers encouragement to aspiring female cyclists in South Africa. It shows that a path from local racing to the professional peloton remains possible.
European racing brings the next test
Bone will enter a very different racing environment when she joins EF Education-Oatly. Much of her experience has come in one-day races, while Europe will bring broader demands.
Stage racing, longer climbs and the tactical depth of the international peloton will test new areas of her development. They will also help define the type of rider she can become.
Bone has identified short, high-intensity efforts as a strength, especially efforts lasting between one and five minutes. Still, she remains open-minded about her long-term direction as a rider.
The support of an established WorldTour team will give her access to experienced professionals and high-level infrastructure. That environment should help her explore her potential in new ways.
The move will also bring personal change. Bone will relocate to Europe and spend extended periods away from family and friends in South Africa.
Her journey has already included balancing professional employment with competitive cycling. It has also included victories at some of South Africa’s most prestigious races.
Bone now prepares to carry that experience into the professional ranks. Her first season with EF Education-Oatly begins in 2027, when her next chapter opens on cycling’s biggest stages.
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