EF Education First has had a long-standing goal of supporting a women's professional cycling team and found a perfect fit with the already established TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank. The successful American team has applied for the coveted Women's World Tour license to race as EF Education-TIBCO-SVB in 2022.

In an interview with Cycling News, former Canadian professional cyclist and team owner Linda Jackson said EF Education First stood out among other potential co-partners.

"This is an important step, EF Education First is a great company and really believes in supporting women. When we talked to the other partners, they didn't seem to have the same beliefs, it was more about being politically correct, but this company really believes in supporting women," Jackson told Cycling News. But this company really believes in supporting women," Jackson told Cycling News

"They want the athletes to be able to focus on their jobs and not have to work a second or third job to support themselves," the men's World Tour They emphasized getting the minimum salary. It was a very good fit."

The UCI has set the minimum salary for the Women's World Tour at €20,000 (employee), while the Men's World Tour teams are obligated to pay a base salary of €40,045 (employee).

Currently, there is no minimum salary rule for women's continental teams, but Jackson says that they always pay their players. However, with the support of EF Education First, she said, all athletes will be able to focus on cycling as a full-time career.

"Looking back, even a few years ago, as a continental team we always paid our athletes well. With the exception of a few players, they weren't paid enough for them to focus on their jobs full time. This is a job," Jackson said.

"Historically, these women started in this sport out of passion and sacrificed a lot to race bicycles. They can focus 100% on cycling. It is incredibly fulfilling."

EF Education First is also the owner and title sponsor of the men's WorldTour team EF Education Nippon, but Jackson said the two programs are separate and the company is a third co-partner alongside TIBCO and Silicon Valley Bank acknowledged that it would participate in the program.

However, she also confirmed that the two teams would share a marketing platform along with sponsors Rapha, POC, Whoop, and bicycle brand Cannondale, which was already a partner of the women's team.

"EF Education First will be a co-title partner. We are completely separate from the men's team," Jackson said.

"We have three (title) partners and they all share total resources; TIBCO and Silicon Valley Bank have doubled their partnership to join the Women's World Tour. There was an option to go to the top level with just these two partners. But with EF Education First, we have the additional resources to make it happen and pay the minimum salary of the Men's World Tour so that our riders can focus 100%. They all contribute significantly to our sponsorship total."

Jackson said the team will focus primarily on competing on the Women's World Tour, but will also continue to compete in gravel and alternative races and have a presence at select events in North America. The team plans to announce the full roster in the coming weeks.

"Next year we will have a mix of developmental and veteran riders. Next year we will have a mix of developmental riders and veteran riders. Our goal is to be a top 5 team on the Women's Word Tour for the next few years. I will continue my philosophy of looking for diamonds in the rough, riders who can be groomed to be the next superstars."

The team will also specifically target the Tour de France Femme in July, an event Jackson sees as a major step forward in women's cycling.

"Now is the perfect time for this race to return. I truly believe that the success of the women's Tour de France will determine where women's cycling goes for the next three to five years.

"I look forward to an incredibly successful event that will showcase the riders and their personalities and help the sport grow. It's great to be involved with the women's team right now. I wouldn't want to miss this."