Canyon-SRAM announced Thursday that it has offered last year's Zwift Academy winner Ella Harris a contract renewal for the 2020 season, and the 21-year-old hopes to continue her growth at the top level of women's racing after a successful season as a neo-pro.

"I am really happy and excited to renew my contract with Canyon-SRAM for 2020," Harris said in a team press release. 'I really love this team and feel comfortable and happy in this environment. The other riders, sponsors, staff, and overall setup is incredible and I never imagined I would be a part of it.

Harris competed in her first season as a professional this season with Canyon-SRAM after earning a contract through the Zwift Academy's identification program. She spent most of the year in a supportive role, learning from her experienced teammates and achieving personal successes, including a youth class win at Vuelta Burgos, second in the youth class at the Emacmen Vila World Tour, and fourth in GC at the Colorado Classic.

"Ella entered the burgeoning UCI and in her first year as a member of the UCI team, she placed in the top 20% and is currently ranked 171st (UCI World Ranking). Canyon-SRAM coach Ronnie Lauke said, "As a young athlete, she still has a lot to learn and I believe she can grow even more with time."

"Ella is very dedicated to the sport and throughout the season she was determined to do the job she was given in the race or to achieve her own results. What impressed me most was her strength of will and the level of agony she showed to not only achieve her goals but to be the best teammate she could be... What we can expect from her for 2020 is to see further development in terms of efficiency and tactical understanding."

Canyon-SRAM launched the Zwift Academy in 2016 to give amateur riders the chance to train with a team, prove they are worthy of competing at the top level, and earn a contract to race as a professional. Last year's program doubled the number of participants, reaching 5,000 women.

Harris is one of three riders who joined Canyon-SRAM through the Zwift Academy; Leah Thorvilson was the first winner of the competition and raced for Canyon-SRAM in 2017 and 2018; Tanja Erath was the next winner and earned a contract with Canyon-SRAM for 2018, which was also renewed for a second season in 2019.

After winning the race contract with Canyon-SRAM, Harris left her home in Dunedin, New Zealand, where she was studying food marketing.

"When I first left New Zealand in January, there were a lot of unknowns and adjustments I had to make. This was my second time going to Europe (the first was for finals camp in December), and leaving home and living in Spain was the first big hurdle," Harris said.

"I also didn't know if I would be comfortable racing in Europe without feeling inadequate. Integrating into a professional team with so many skilled top cyclists and learning how such a team operates on and off the bike was quite daunting at first. Even training routines were overturned with new coaches and a whole new area of riding.

"The big take home message for me from 2019 is that setbacks are only a small part of the bigger picture, and while they may seem frustrating at the time, eventually the problems will be resolved and routine will return again. Overcoming setbacks has fostered resilience and increased persistence. Basically, it's important to never give up and focus on what you can control, because how you deal with adversity is how you grow as a person."

The 2019 Canyon-SRAM Zwift Academy is currently underway and the three finalists will be announced on November 12. The finalists will attend the first training camp in Spain in December, and the winner will sign a professional contract with the team for the 2020 season.

"After three editions, the winner has medaled at the national championships, been selected to the national team on a world-class stage, and won the jersey at the World Tour level. The Canyon-Slam Zwift Academy has proven to be a program that identifies talented riders who are ready to compete at the pinnacle of the sport," said Lauke.