"This is my first season in Europe and I love it! So far this year for me has been about learning new routines and adapting to life in Girona. It is very exciting and is giving me the best motivation to train hard and smash the roads every single morning.

It’s a completely different atmosphere here in Spain compared to my small home town of Dire Dawa. The roads are lovely, the people are very friendly and the weather is perfect – which is why Girona is home to many Pro and amateur cyclists."

"Not only are there hundreds of kilometres of flat roads, you can climb up to 3000 metres as well – it really is a cyclists’ paradise. Best of all I get to spend time with my best friend and fellow Ethiopian Tsgabu Grmay – he is an inspiration to me. It is great to be able to speak our mother tongue together too - it makes home seem not so far away.

Thanks to my team mates and coach I am learning a lot in a great atmosphere. I feel very strongly that this will be my best season yet and I am grateful to EF Education-NIPPO Development for helping me. It is a massive opportunity and one which I plan to make the most of."

This year Kiya has competed in La Tropicale Amissa Bongo 2.1 (top 10 finish on Stage 3), Visit South Aegean Islands 2.2, Rhodes GP 1.2 and the International Tour of Rhodes 2.2.