EF Education–NIPPO (United States) - Press Release: Ukrainian climber looks to build on 2021 success.

We are proud to announce that Mark Padun is the newest member of our 2022 roster.

While there is no singular path that will get a rider into the WorldTour, Padun’s is certainly a unique one, with uncommon twists and turns. “Until I started cycling, I was always doing stuff like dancing and painting,” Padun says. “In school we used to train for dancing.” The 25-year-old says his dancing days are now well behind him. “I’ve only danced one time in the last few years. It was on a date,” he laughs. And as for painting? “Like dancing, it’s a skill I’ve forgotten from not practicing,” he jokes.

Growing up in the city of Donetsk, Ukraine, Padun was adventurous and curious. “I was always trying new things,” he says. “When I was young, I was like, ‘Oh I want to do this, I want to do that’ because a lot of my friends were doing things that seemed cool.”