Professional cycling Archives

Specialized Women’s Racing, raising the profile of women’s pro racing on the domestic scene

May 2, 2017 Nicola Professional cycling, Women cycling

One thing I’m really keen to do with this blog is to promote women’s professional road racing, so this week you can read about Australian team Specialized Women’s Racing. I caught up via email with team manager Liz Phillipou recently: Q: How many years has your team been in existence? First race was Noosa 2011, we are now in our 6th year of existence. Q: You’ve had a few sponsor changes over the years, is it difficult to be constantly looking for new ones? We have been extremely lucky to have the support of Specialized Australia since day one. We have had

Catching up with the Aussie women of Wiggle High5

March 14, 2017 Nicola Cycle racing, Olympic Games, Professional cycling, Track cycling, Women cycling

A couple of weeks ago I published an interview with Wiggle High5 owner/manager Rochelle Gilmore and thought I’d follow it up with an interview with the other Aussie women of Wiggle High5, riders Amy Cure and Nettie (Annette Edmondson). Enjoy…. Q: How have you found the racing in Australia over the summer months? Amy – It has been really fun. I’ve enjoyed myself a lot. I think taking a break from the road last season has really helped me, and I think It’s what I needed. It really confirmed how much I missed it, and I’m really looking forward to

A candid chat with Wiggle High5 women’s team owner Rochelle Gilmore

January 31, 2017 Nicola Image management, Professional cycling, Women cycling

I recently met up with Rochelle Gilmore, owner and manager of the Wiggle High5 women’s professional team and fellow Australian. Rochelle, who is based in Europe for most of the year met with me over a plate of upmarket fish and chips. All the while looking over the picturesque Cronulla beach, Rochelle’s Sydney home. She managed to squeeze me in between a morning ride with a friend, and a flight to Melbourne to be with her team for the Cadel Evans Melbourne race. It was the second time I’d sat down for a chat with Rochelle, and she was as candid

Women’s pro cycling needs its own ‘knight in shining armour’

December 13, 2016 Nicola Professional cycling, Women cycling

I’ve been following the progress of professional women’s cycling since I started writing this blog a bit over five years ago. Before then I was fairly oblivious to the sport, and only watched the men’s racing. In some ways I still only watch the men’s pro peloton because it’s the only cycling shown on Australian TV, but I do try and keep up with the women via social media. I think that women’s pro cycling needs a ‘knight in shining armour’ like the AFL to show its support. I don’t mean that women can’t look after themselves just fine, but

What’s it like to work for a pro cycling team?

August 23, 2016 Nicola Professional cycling

So what’s it like to work for a pro cycling team? As part of my series on women who work in the world of cycling, this week’s post is about Communications expert, Phoebe Haymes, who recently landed her dream job working with the pro cycling team BMC. I actually met Phoebe last year at the Tour de France. She was at the time working for a PR agency in France, and was working on a brief social media event focused on Aussie corner in Villers Brettoneux. We’ve kept in touch and I recently sent her a few questions…… Q: What

Cheer on the women in the Giro Rosa 2016

June 28, 2016 Nicola Cycle racing, Professional cycling, Women cycling

Every year I write about the women’s professional race the Giro Rosa 2016, and I always lament the fact that it’s held at the same time as the very high profile Tour de France. As a consequence it passes by almost unnoticed to any sports fans. A few years ago it was considered the biggest stage race on the women’s calendar, but I’d argue that the much newer stage races – the Women’s Tour of Britain and the Women’s Tour of California – have now got a higher profile. Nonetheless I’d like to play my part in promoting the race

Nettie Edmondson – firmly focused on track cycling Gold in Rio

May 24, 2016 Nicola Cycle racing, Olympic Games, Professional cycling, Track cycling, Women cycling

I recently touched base with Australian road & track cyclist Nettie Edmondson who is firmly focused on track cycling gold in Rio. I had the pleasure of meeting Nettie for the first time about four years ago and soon after wrote my first post about her. By coincidence one my friend’s daughters Keira, who is a keen track & road cyclist herself, is a huge fan of Nettie’s. So last year when we all visited Adelaide for the Tour Down Under I arranged for us to meet up with Nettie. Keira is pictured here with her hero. I was really

Female pro cyclist Kimberley Wells focused on a huge year in 2016

March 29, 2016 Nicola Bike skills, Cycle racing, Professional cycling, Women cycling

One of the many topics I love to cover in my posts is the world of the female pro cyclist. They receive so little coverage compared to their male counterparts that I feel it’s part of my responsibility to help. Plus I really love to interact with them. I first spoke to Kimberley Wells three years ago so thought it was about time we caught up with her. Kimberley and I exchanged a few emails for this interview….. Q: What are you up to Kimberley? A: Racing up in Belgium at the moment. Ran 7th in the Dwars Door

Kristy Scrymgeour – the next phase for a women’s cycling advocate

February 16, 2016 Nicola Bike retail, Lycra cycle clothing, Professional cycling, Women cycling

I first met Kristy Scrymgeour four years ago, not long after I’d started this blog. Over those four years she’s been on quite a journey so it was great to catch up with her last month overlooking the iconic Maroubra Beach during her annual pilgrimage to her home town. For those of you who follow the women’s pro peleton in Europe and the US you’ll know that Kristy has spent the past four years running her own women’s cycling team. It was initially called Specialized-lululemon and more recently Velocio-SRAM. You might also know that Kristy and her team folded at

A catch up with women’s hour record holder Bridie O’Donnell

January 26, 2016 Nicola Commuting by bike, Cycle racing, Professional cycling, Track cycling, women specific bike

When I started this blog four and a half years ago my very first pro cyclist interview was with Australian Bridie O’Donnell. Bridie’s recently hit the headlines by breaking the hour record on the track in Adelaide so I thought it was timely to catch up with her. Q: Firstly, huge congratulations on breaking the hour record on the track recently. Was it the hardest physical challenge you’ve ever taken on? A: Thank you very much! The physical challenge of the Hour itself was not the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but the 6 months preparing for it was.