World Short-Track Mountain bike championships in Glasgow (well Glentress actually)

It had been part of David Lappartient's manifesto when he took over as president of the Union Cycliste Internationale, in 2018. He really relished the idea of holding a sort of "cycling Olympics" in which a major event would take place bringing together all the various cycling disciplines, including paracycling - road racing, time trial, velodrome cycling, mountain biking (downhill and cross-country), BMX (racing and trials), indoor cycling (artistic cycling and cycle ball) - in one location. 

So when it came to fruition, with events being held in Glasgow and other selected venues in Scotland, there must have been a real sense of accomplishment for the directors and the operational teams at the UCI, British Cycling, Cycling Scotland, and various officials who had worked to get the show on the road, literally.

With such a major event taking place, and with continuous media coverage on TV, and regular bulletins about who was winning what, at the different races, that it was hard to not feel the buzz of the event, and be part of it.

Normally, I would have gone to the event in my capacity as a journalist and covered one of the events. But I hadn't felt that I could commit to doing that as I was working on other projects related to my other pie in medical copywriting.

As it happened, I did have a bit of time, and so I was happy to go up as an ordinary punter and combine it with a trip to visit Scotland as well as to see a couple of races.

So I booked to see the World Short-Track Cross Country Mountain bike championships, and also the indoor cycling, as I was keen to check out this new sport.

These cycling championships were advertised as taking place in Glasgow, as it contained the finishing loops of the road races, the Chris Hoy velodrome, the Emirates arena for the indoor cycling, the BMX stadium, and Glasgow Green for trials and other BMX competitions. 

As well as Glasgow, events took place in other venues around Scotland. The men's road race started from Edinburgh, the women's road race started from Balloch at Loch Lomond, there were time trials in Stirling, and paracycling events at Dumfries. The cross-country mountain biking took place in the Borders area, at Glentress, near Peebles - some 60 miles away. So it wasn't entirely focused on Glasgow.

Cycling along the Tweed

So I drove across the mid-Scotland countryside to see the cycle racing at Glentress forest. Tom Pidcock and was on the start list, as well as one of my favourite riders, Evie Richards, who would be in a very hotly contested women's race. So I was quite excited about going to watch the event.

After leaving my car at the Park and Ride in a park at Peebles, I took out my cyclocross bike from the boot and cycled along the River Tweed to reach the venue. My route went along the river and through the pretty village of Peebles, with its stone-faced houses and quaint cafes, pubs and guesthouses, then into woodland. This is a pleasant area to be with or without an international cycle event taking place. There were lots of people out and about taking walks with their family, and seemed quite content at the sight of so many visitors to their town. Who wouldn't to visit here! 

I asked directions to a local on how to reach the forest (I had failed to see one of the UCI arrows indicating the way to the centre). The woman had her children with her, who were on balance bikes and she was coaxing them along. While giving directions she also said hello to another local person passing by. "Hi John, how are things....Yes, go diagonally across the park and then you will see the cycle path takes you into Glentress. You can't miss it. It's a nice ride." she said with a mild Scottish accent. This lady seemed very proud to be a Peebles resident.

Just outside the village of Peebles I caught sight of the mountain bike centre up above, with all the hoardings, billboards, advertisements and to make the ambiance, the pumping music, loud commentary and riders - the juniors - competing in the previous race. I felt rude not riding up to watch their race, but it would have felt even more rude if I hadn't ridden further along the scenic Tweed Valley cycle path towards Innerleithen, another mountain bike trail centre. 

Time wasn't really on my side, in terms of getting in a significant bike ride. That was always going to be the case when coming up to Scotland for the cycling. Earlier in the day I had been up to Loch Lomond for a swim and that combined with breakfast and the drive over had eaten into valuable riding time. So many activities so little time as they say. Riding along the Tweed Valley Path was very pleasant. Pan flat sections intersperse undulating trails through the woodland of these Borderland forests. I encountered numerous cyclists along the way as they were using path to reach Glentress, having parked their cars in Innerleithen. Most of them were in a rush. This was also the stretch for elite athletes to do any final warm-ups before the race. I bumped into the German Team, plus some riders from Israel and Spain. The route was largely flat, but there were a fair few undulations as the path went through a multi-terrain mixture of gravel, tarmac and wooded surfaces of different bridges.

Chase group in the men's short-course race 

I managed to get back to the Glentress mountain bike centre just as the start klaxon sounded for the start of the men's race. The only thing was I was still a 100m below them at the entrance to the site! After squeezing in my bike at the expansive but packed out bike park, and going through security I did a mini fell run past the various promotional trade stands to reach the lower section of the race course, just in time to see the lead hurtling round containing eventual winner Sam Gaze (New Zealand), and Tom Pidcock leading a second group. The crowd roared and cheered as any of the British riders, including Cameron Orr came past, regardless of whether they were in the lead group or among the stragglers. 

Considering that I was one of the last spectators to arrive at the scene, I still managed to get a good view. There were crowds but it wasn't overcrowded. As the race was in progress it wasn't possible for me to go to "track centre" which would have allowed me to see other parts of the course, so I stayed put where I was. Seeing lots of press photographers also standing near me indicated that this must be a good place to be anyway. We were at the top of a mini uphill ramp around 100m from the start-finish line, so we could see the lead riders accelerating up this ramp to drop their rivals, as well as the back-markers who were straining and struggling as fatigue took it's toll on them. We were also near enough to see the finish line, which was a dead heat between Gaze and the Frenchman Victor Koretzky. Tom Pidcock took bronze in controversial circumstances in which he apparently barged Germany's Luca Schwarzbauer when trying to get in a gap on the last lap, causing the potential bronze-placed rider to crash.  

Tom Pidcock warming down at the finish line

We were also well-placed to see the riders keel over panting, trying to get their breath back after their efforts. The riders were in different states of exhaustion, and different sentiments ranging from elation, disappointment, despair or frustration. Some also needed medical attention as they'd raced around carrying a bleeding wound after crashing along a point in the course.

Tom Pidcock seemed to regain his recovery efficiently and was talking to some of his competitors. Speaking to one guy I heard him say something about "leaving the door open" when commenting on how the race went.

A few minutes later the marshals opened the barriers in order to let us move into track centre, and from there I was able to pick my spot for the women's race, which featured defending Short-Track Champion Evie Richards, multiple World Champion, Pauline Ferrand-Prevot, and Dutch favourite Puck Pieterse.

After the build-up introducing the different racers, and the characteristic sound of the human heartbeat in the countdown, the klaxon rang out, and the women were off down the straight and up the hill. This time I stood on the opposite side from where I had been during the men's race. Although I got a good view, my photos weren't as clear because took more of a side-on view and the riders were so fast, the photos were blurred. I will rephrase that. Evie Richards was so fast, my photos of her were blurred! She really made a strong campaign by signalling her intentions from the get-go and riding off the front, much to the excitement of the home crowd. The best photos I got of her were racing were on the giant screen, on which the camera operators gave her a lot of time.

Women's lead group

Also the new position I was in was the shorter line of the hill, which curved to the right, meaning that spectators were very close to the riders, and a stray hand or even a small child could easily be hit if they were marginally over the barrier. I therefore did not want to take any risks even with my phone camera, so made sure to stand back.

Being in track centre meant that I could then move on to the twisty gravelly berms as the riders negotiated this downhill part of the ride. At this point the crowds were at their thickest and the loudest, with bell-ringing and whoop whooping going on too, for all riders, regardless of the nation they were representing. Combined with the dynamic commentary and ambient music, it was more like being at an outdoor music festival on this sunny early evening in August.

Sadly for Evie Richards, she didn't win, as the ever powerful Frenchwoman, Ferrand-Prevot opened the burners on the penultimate lap, and Evie was also dropped by Pieterse. Another Briton, Isla Short, finished in 13th place. At the finish line, the ever-popular Evie still looked joyful despite losing her crown, and gave lots of hugs to her fellow competitors, folks in the crowd that she knew, and took the time to sign her autograph for little girls who were clearly very inspired by her.

Tricky, downhill berms where a few riders crashed

It was a good afternoon out. I didn't stay for the presentation as I didn't want to be too late getting back to Glasgow. I must say I was glad to have done the park and ride and used my bicycle rather than a shuttlebus to get the venue. It's always a logistical headache ferrying thousands of people back to their cars, so it was a relief to not have to deal with that.   

The drive back to Glasgow was technical along all the winding roads through the rolling hills, but it was beautiful and the roads were practically empty. I can see why folks enjoy coming to Scotland.

Back in central Glasgow I got home in time to have a hearty dinner in preparation for the following day, which would involve another trip to Loch Lomond, and watching some indoor cycling.                                     

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Photo of the day - 30: Flashback Friday post

The path back to Ings from the Garburn Pass

This is not a trip I did in October, but at the end of August, over the bank holiday weekend - something from which I have happy memories. This year may have been a little different due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but I have done as much as I can to maintain a near normal everyday life, and to find equally fun alternatives to the things which are currently off-limits. I had planned on going to France in the summer, but because I didn't fancy doing a 14-day quarantine on my return I decided not to do the trip. Every Thursday, the government makes an announcement about the latest countries to go on the quarantine list. The problem with that is that Boris Johnson and his government only give two days' notice before the new rules come into effect. This means that while you're on holiday, if the country you are in suddenly gets announced as being on the list you then have to make a mad dash home in order to avoid going into quarantine. I wouldn't want to have that Damoclean sword hanging over me while trying to enjoy my trip or after I have booked my travel plans. So to avoid those issues, I decided to take my summer break within the UK - like most other people. And it hasn't been bad at all. At the end of July I went to the Peak District, and a month later I went to the Lake District. This photo is from when I did a mountain bike ride from Ings, mid-way between Kendal and Windermere and rode over a trail known as the Garburn Pass to reach Kentmere village. Initially the trail was manageable, with lovely views of Lake Windermere, Kirkstone Pass, and peaks like Stony Cove Pike and Red Screes in the distance. The ride became a little bit tough as the path became strewn with lots of rocks and boulders. Being on my 20-year old hard-tail didn't really cut it so I spent a bit of time doing hike-a-bike, including on the descent. 

Eventually, the path became more manageable as I was on a very bumpy adrenaline-filled descent to the village of Kentmere. From there my ride then went over another undulating bridleway that went past heather covered pastures along single track and through fords. The area looked really pretty in the sunshine, and it seemed that this was quite a popular area with cyclists, as I bumped into quite a few - a couple of family rides as well as club mountain bikers. By the time I arrived back in Ings I had a big smile on my face, having enjoyed a really fun ride. 

Ings is quite a handy place. There are wild and wonderful areas to go walking, a popular country pub, and more importantly for me, a mountain bike shop, Bike Treks.

I definitely plan to return there again and ride it with a full suspension bike. Hopefully I will get up to near Ullswater. Or maybe I will just head over with the masses to Grizedale Forest. I don't know entirely where I will go, but as a certain famous pop star said, I promise it won't be boring.

Photo of the day - 8: The joy of (waterproof) socks!

 I don't normally get excited about a pair of socks. But I must say I was very pleased to see this pair of Sealskinz land on my doorstep, thanks to Vikki at Aspire PR. We are well and truly into the wind and rain season, so these will come very much in handy for whatever type of bike riding. The would have been particularly useful last Sunday during rainy ride through the Surrey Hills. I guess overshoes can do the job too when it comes to keeping your feet dry and warm, but you need specific overshoes for the different cycling shoes - for mountain biking shoes, road riding, etc. And some have a more optimal fit than others depending on the design of the shoe. But with a waterproof/windproof pair of socks it's one less thing to worry about when riding in this autumnal weather. I look forward to testing them out.

Photo of the day - 4: No cyclocross for me; mountain biking in Peaslake instead

This is the village centre at Peaslake, in the Surrey Hills. The bus shelter and the village shop and post office are normally heaving with mountain bikers at the weekend. On this very rainy and windy day there were very few people out. Just a few hardy souls, and me. I was there as consolation for not being able to get to the cyclocross race I was meant to do in Sandwich. My 'cross bike had dodgy handlebars and I couldn't get them fixed in time. With the race being an almost 2-hour drive away I wasn't going to get there in time, so I had to forego that and instead went mountain biking closer to home. It was good to get out to this part of Surrey Hills, as normally I tend to be on the nearer Leith Hill side. Biking turned out to be a real muddy mess as I splished and splashed over the trails at Pitch Hill and down Barry Knows Best. It wasn't pretty - it wasn't a long ride either given the weather, and it was getting a bit dark. But I am glad I went. Shame I didn't think to get out my camera while on the rain-swept trails!

Daily photo - 13: About last weekend in the Forest of Dean

Local residents at Whitemead Forest Park at Forest of Dean

After my cyclocross race in Gloucester Boating Lake I went back to the Forest of Dean mountain bike trail centre for another quick blast.

I had hoped to try some trails that would be more challenging than the family trail.

One of the local riders told me about some blue trails that had berms and bumps near Ellwood. So I parked up near Cinderford and then rode through the forest as my warm-up to head towards Parkend and then on to Ellwood.

En route I passed this area, Whitemead Forest Park. It looked quite inviting, but I was keen to press on to find some trails. However, I couldn't help but admire these free-roaming sheep. I managed to snap just two of them, but there were around 15 in the flock.

Who knows, they might have been on their way to the nearby Woodman Pub - which is probably where I should have gone because not long afterwards I bonked (ran out of glucose). My efforts in the cyclocross race and the riding around the forest began to take their toll.

A Sunday roast and a glass of beer would have hit the spot nicely!




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Daily photo - 7: Mountain biking in the Forest of Dean

It's that time of year when the cyclocross season starts and I become interested in all things biking off-road. In reality I should do this sort of thing all-year round. There are lots of opportunities, given all the gravel races, summer cyclocross and mountain bike events taking place. It's just difficult to fit everything in though, especially as I still like to ride on the road. And I have to fit in other things like everyday life too.

Today, I took myself to the West Country and checked out mountain biking in the Forest of Dean trail centre, between Gloucester and South Wales.
As my journey started later than planned, I got stuck in slow traffic on the M4 motorway and I arrived there late in the afternoon, so by that time I only really had time to ride on the Family trail.

That was fine for me as I am planning to do a cyclocross race tomorrow, so I wouldn't really want to tire myself out. This Family trail is part of what used to be the Severn and Wye Railway line, so the trail is wide and well surfaced.

As the trail gently undulates through this ancient forest as you head northwards you see various sign posts with the names of the former stations, and you can imagine what the place must have been like back in the 19th century when this area was associated with mining.

Overall, Forest of Dean is a scenic and quite undulating part of the world, with lots of forested areas both inside and outside the trail centre. In some parts you get wild deer hanging around, as well as lots of pigs and wild boar. Some may find that quite fun to see, though being a bit of a scardy cat I didn't feel comfortable with that and was worried that I wouldn't be able to ride away quickly enough if I needed to! At least there was a variety of trails and directions to choose from. It's a great place to spend a weekend - not necessarily spectacular like nearby Wales, but still pretty nice.

What to expect at Forest of Dean

• The trail centre is based around the villages of Cinderford to the east, Coleford to the west, and the central village of Cannop.

• There are pay-and-display car parks dotted around the different sides of the forest, though the central part would be just north of Cannop, near the cycle centre.

• Accessing the mountain bike trail centre can be done by bike via one of many cycle paths. 

• I parked on a dirt track in the village of Parkend, next to a playing field and cycled a couple of miles to the Family trail at Cannop Ponds.

• The family trail is 11 miles (17km) long and can be ridden by people of all ages. I saw quite a few parents out with children aged around 5 or 6 years old. I don't imagine they did 11 miles though!

• There's a bike hire shop at the cycle centre, Pedalabikeaway, and there are other places that hire out bikes - Dean Forest Cycles, at Parkend. Lydney Cycle Centre also repairs bikes.

• Other trails start from the cycle centre - the 7-mile (11km) blue Verderer's trail which is fast and flowing with berms; the 7.4-mile (12km) red Freeminer's trail which is single track and rooty; a downhill run, and a pump track where people of all levels can practice.

• At the cycle centre area, just north of Cannop there is also a cafe, toilets and a bike-wash area.

• You can stop and picnic in different areas, though one of the most scenic parts is the picnic site at Cannop Ponds.

• Try to stick to the designated cycle trails and avoid riding on footpaths. The walkers don't particularly like it, and in fact one local told me that some people have been known to leave broken glass as a way to let cyclists know they should not be on that trail.

• If you are going on the other trails like the blue and the red it may be best to buy a map from the cycle centre as trails aren't always that well sign-posted and the last thing you want is a puncture or a ripped tyre because you got lost!

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52 Cycling Voices - 10: Tracy Moseley

I have interviewed a number of professional cycle racers over the years and it has been great to hear their stories. One person I had not managed to meet was champion downhill mountain-biker Tracy Moseley. I was keen to meet her, particularly as her name was regularly being mentioned by other mountain bikers who mentioned her as their inspiration to push themselves in mountain biking. And it's no surprise that people wanted to emulate Tracy. She was at the top of her game for 20 years, racing downhill and enduro mountain biking events. In 2010 she was crowned World Downhill Mountain bike champion, and subsequent to that she gained world titles in Enduro mountain biking events too. I finally got to meet this member of the downhill and enduro mountain biking royal family at the London Bike Show earlier this year, and she talked about how she would like to encourage girls into racing downhill.

Tracy Moseley, aged 38

From: Malvern, Worcestershire

4-time World MTB Champion, Downhill & Enduro & coach at TMO Racing

 

“I grew up on my parents’ dairy farm in Malvern, so we had that freedom of the outdoors to ride and play and make tracks in the woods.

It was my brother, Ed who inspired me to do downhill racing. He’s two years older than me and started doing cross country racing when he was about 15 or 16. So it was more about following him, and riding with his friends. 

Ed helped me out so much at the start and he was the one who said, “You know what Tracy? You need to have a go at racing. You can ride better than all the girls I’ve seen and most of the boys I ride with!” So he was the one who pushed me and encouraged me, and in the first few years he was a massive help. 

My classmates and teachers didn’t really understand what I was doing but I think they thought it was quite cool. Certainly the schools were quite encouraging of me doing something at quite a high level. Even now, I get the odd facebook message from my classmates saying “I can’t believe you’re doing this after all these years later!”

Ed still rides lots as well and we hope to do some kids’ coaching camps with my brother and my husband. So it’s going to be a family unit, which is great to still be able to share that fun on the bike with him, nearly 30 years later.

I still live in Malvern, so it feels like I haven’t actually gone very far. I’ve just been away to uni and then travelled so much with the racing. Even my brother still lives there. We’ve converted some of the old farm buildings and we’ve both got our own little place.

It’s been a great base to have. We’ve got great riding locally both on-road and off-road. I love going to our local trails and our local club, Malvern Cycle Sport has been great. At the moment I don’t see any need to go anywhere else!

Malvern doesn’t really have anything technical in terms of downhill, but we can be in Wales within an hour. We can easily get to Bristol, and London is less than two hours away. So we’re in a nice location that is central to get to places.

My first world downhill mountain bike championship title came in 2010, after many years of trying, and then after that I had a good spell of titles for the last few years of my career, with three world enduro titles too.

From www.tracymoseley.com

In a way gaining my first title was a huge amount of relief. I’d spent 10 years or more with that goal, and then I suddenly achieve it and I’m like – now what? I’d sacrificed so much for my training - lifestyle, friends, family - everything to try and achieve that goal.

So winning that title led me to carry on and try a new challenge – which is where the enduro biking came in. It was a new discipline, I had to get fitter, lose weight, and become an all-round athlete rather than just a downhill focused athlete. That gave me that next step kind of feeling of trying to achieve something else, hence the enduro titles. Then when I achieved that I wanted to try and find that next thing. I still race and challenge myself, though not at elite level.

I did the Snow Bike Festival in Gstaad at the end of January this year, and then I went straight from minus 11 degrees to plus 40 degrees, and did the Andes Pacifico, a five-day enduro in Chile.  It was a kind of adventure race where we were high, in the Andes Mountains for the first three days and then descended towards the sea. There was a lot of time on the bike, with three or four timed stages of 8-10 minutes each day.  It was really raw terrain, that wasn’t really well marked and needed a bit of navigating. It was a really good adventure.

I also took part in this year's national cyclo cross championships in Bradford. I’d been supporting a few youngsters in my local cycling club, Malvern Cycle Sport, and we went up to help in the pits and the bike washing, so I thought I might as well enter the race if I’m up there!  It was very slippery, I was super out of shape and I suffered. It hurt a lot but I just pushed hard, and I was happy with where I finished, considering.

I am always looking for the next crazy challenge. Hopefully one day I will be able to stop those desires!

When I started racing downhill I looked up to Anne Caroline Chausson, who was at that time, the 10-time world mountain bike champion. She’s always been quite introverted, but an absolutely amazing bike rider. And that, for me was always the most important thing. I didn’t want to be this huge celebrity; I wanted to be known for my riding and how good my riding was, and that was the thing I really admired about her. She could keep up with the guys, she was as stylish as the guys, and she didn’t shout about it. She just got on with it. 

Often these days you get many many characters that can talk a good bike race but actually can they do it themselves? I’ve always liked that side of making sure that your riding does the talking for you and Anne Caroline Chausson did that really well.

It’s quite cool and really nice of Rachel Atherton and Manon Carpenter to say that they looked up to me, and it makes me take account of what I have done in the past. It feels good to know that I have done something to help the next generation. Rach was someone I raced against, and racing against her kept the level high and inspired me to raise my game. 

It’s great to see what she’s gone on to achieve in the downhill world, and again hopefully she’ll be an inspiration for the next batch of racers and we will continue to have a great nation of downhill riders. But yeah, it’s certainly really nice to realise that they looked up to me and it’s helped them in their career, for sure.

I stopped racing professionally in 2015, though I am not fully retired from racing. I didn’t really want to use the word “retire” because it felt like there was a definite end. I’ve got that kind of gene, that kind of thing that makes me want to have the drive to compete so I’m still going to be racing a little bit, but just not at world series level.

This has given me more chance to do other things rather than just be focused on training for those few events that make up the World Series. So change of direction would be a way to describe it, rather than retiring – it’s not as though people aren’t going to see me out racing again.

Last year I did a couple of races, this year I’m doing a few less races and am doing more coaching, more talks, more conferences doing work with the sponsors. Yeah, it’s been nice to slowly wean myself off professional racing. I think I would have struggled to suddenly stop, given I have spent my entire life since I finished uni just racing bikes.

Nowadays I am involved in coaching and developing young riders. The good thing about that is that it still gets me to races, so I go to events with the young girls. I’ve got two girls that I sponsor in downhill and cross-country with my TMO Racing grass roots training programme, and I’ve been getting them to do some enduro. They’re also racing cyclo cross and road, so they’re doing a bit of everything. I’m a huge advocate of trying to make sure, especially when you’re young, as you definitely broaden your riding. You don’t just focus on one discipline, as I think you can gain so much from different skills in the different disciplines.

I was doing a bit of work with British Cycling and their cross-country programme, working with the girls in that squad, trying to improve their technical skills and cross-country racing. I do a little bit of work with my own cycling club, Malvern Cycle Sport, which is a really active club that has been running kids’ training camps.

I really enjoy mentoring the next generation. There are plenty of people out there coaching adults, but I really feel like we still need to keep encouraging, certainly on the mountain biking side, the next great champions of our country.It would be great if I could help bring in more kids to the sport and see where we go from that. That’s the plan.

Cross-country is the only mountain-biking discipline that gets any funding from British Cycling, as it is an Olympic sport. The disciplines that I enjoy – downhill, gravity-assisted things – are very much dependent on clubs or the parents of those kids. There’s no system for that so that’s where I really want to put my effort.

There are so many kids out there that aren’t going to make it in that very select programme that British Cycling creates and then the kids get put off racing for life, which is a shame. Basically, you don’t have to be an Olympic champion to enjoy racing your bike. And that’s the key thing for me – to make sure that kids can still have that love for cycling and they don’t get put off because they haven’t made that cut-throat world of high-level racing.

From www.tracymoseley.com

Downhill racing has been talked about as possibly becoming an Olympic sport but I don’t know if it ever would. At the moment it is a grass roots underground sport, and in many ways that’s what a lot of people like about it. If Olympic funding comes in it will become a proper structured programme, with people being selected. It would change the atmosphere of the sport a lot. And I’m not sure if it would be for the better or not.

Cycling is definitely getting more mainstream. It’s just that for mountain biking it’s always going to be a struggle when we don’t have the TV coverage. Rachel (Atherton) has been fortunate with the Red Bull sponsorship as they have put so much backing into her, and helped to push the sport and make sure the press know what’s going on. We’re probably the most dominant downhill mountain biking nation in the world, with world champions in the men, women, and junior categories, yet most people in the general public would never know, which is a shame when you consider what we’ve achieved.

Generally, when there’s a downhill race men’s and women’s races get featured equally. However, salary wise women are still falling behind  then men, but I think that comes down to the fact that there are so few girls racing downhill compared to the men, and that makes it hard for bike companies to justify paying them the same. I still feel that we get a great opportunity as females within our sport and certainly when you get to the top of your sport. 

There are only about 15 or 20 girls racing downhill at world series level, whereas there are over a hundred guys competing at those levels. So the thing for me is I’d love to see more girls taking part. If we can get our field to be equally as competitive as the men’s then we can be in a place where we can ask for equality in everything. We just need more girls doing it – we need the numbers. And that will hopefully bring more support and more opportunities.

From www.tracymoseley.com

I have made a lot of friends through cycling. I feel like I could travel the world now and pretty much be able to visit someone I have met through mountain biking almost anywhere in the world. Just that common bond of the love for riding a bike is amazing – where it takes you, the people you meet – it’s absolutely incredible. Every race I do – even the one I did in Chile – I meet new people and I get new contacts and it’s a lovely kind of extended family, seeing people I know everywhere I go.

Initially, cycling was something I was good at – I was competitive, and I liked to win. I never would have expected to still have a career in racing a mountain bike 20 years after I left school. It was never planned; it just evolved that way and it’s been amazing.

As I’ve got older my interests have changed, and cycling has now become so much more than just competing, and if I never raced again it wouldn’t matter – the fact that I could ride my bike is the more important thing. 

The places that cycling takes you, the feeling that you get from being free to have your own mode of transport and the achievement of getting from here to the top of a hill, looking down, and thinking, “I did that all with my own leg power” is quite cool. 

There are health benefits, it’s a sustainable way of seeing places you would never see on foot or by car, so it’s a lifestyle for me now for sure, and I think it’ll be with me forever.”

Tracy was recently interviewed on a special cycling edition of Woman's Hour on BBC Radio 4
This is the podcast to the show

www.tracymoseley.com       Twitter: @tracy_moseley   Instagram: tracy_moseley            

Other Cycling Voices

Geraldine Glowinski

Emily Chappell 

Michelle Webster

Grace and Lucy Garner

Hannah Bussey

Carolyn Hewett-Maessen

Caroline Martinez

Niusha Doyom

Maria David

52 Cycling Voices - 9: Geraldine Glowinski

Geraldine is one quarter of a family that lives and breathes cycling (in between structural engineering, snowboarding, and surfing)! I got to known Geraldine when I started club cycling in 2002, and saw her at road races. Little did I know that she had only recently started cycling herself, back then! Yet Geraldine was always very welcoming and offered biking tips and advice. She's also been very helpful in assisting people who want to develop their cycling - be it accompanying youngsters from the local cycling club to races around the UK and beyond, or hosting the Rwandan Cycling team in her home. "Mummy G" has been an impressive figure in the London cycling community, getting out and encouraging others, even after her terrible road traffic accident, which could have put many people off cycling for good.

Geraldine Glowinski, aged 58

Lives: Sanderstead, Surrey

Accounts Director

“I started cycling at the age of 36 after responding to a notice in a local paper to join a riding group for beginner women. I had never ridden a bike before. As a child, my brother being the only boy was given a bike, but I didn't get the same opportunity. 

Since my husband, Marek and two children Philip and Anna were besotted by cycling I felt I needed to see what the sport was all about. It was a case of ‘can't beat them so join them’, particularly as Philip and Anna were urging me to start cycling. Maybe if I didn't ride I would have become a bike widow.

My first outing was a seven-mile ride, stopping for tea and a Kit-Kat. My balance was terrible and I was very nervous of the traffic, but John Turnbull the ride organiser was so patient and amusing. I went home on a high. It was life-changing for me.

After some time, I started doing long rides with a group called the ‘Over The Hill Gang’, which goes out during the week in the lanes around Surrey and Kent. I met an inspiring woman, Ann Bath, who encouraged me to compete in a 10-mile hilly time trial. It was great. 

Then I did road racing, which was really tough. In my first race I couldn't breathe properly and suffered. I was so happy to have finished and to have been encouraged by other riders, that I repeated the experience and slowly improved and gained confidence. 

As well as that, I did a few track omniums and mountain bike races. I loved the skill, speed and reactions in racing, particularly on the track.

Cycling really is my sport. It's my means to escape from life's normal problems. It keeps me fit and active as well as having a like-minded community to call on. For me, cycling provides a social life, and an appreciation for the simple enjoyment of being outdoors.

As far as my family is concerned I know it has kept us close as we are interested in what each other is doing in the cycling world. We know many of the same people, talk the same talk - it’s great.

I must also highlight that we do have a life outside cycling, as we run a structural engineering consultancy and sometimes get involved with personal building projects. Both Philip and Marek are structural engineers, and I work in the company too.

It was Marek who encouraged the children to ride and race, as initially I didn’t know much about the sport. When watching them race it was always heart-stopping when I didn't see them go past at the moment I was expecting to see them. I would be thinking ‘What's happened to them?’ Even now, I hate watching the final sprint in a road race and always feel delighted they have finished an event without incident. Having said that, I had always wanted Philip and Anna to lead active outdoor lives, so it’s a case of ‘Be careful what you wish for!’

I feel I am an extremely lucky woman, because in 2005 I was knocked off my bike by a speeding car on a fast dual carriageway, the A217 in Surrey. I went over the bonnet and smashed the windscreen and missed a wooden stake by inches. My right leg was shattered, but the surgeons were fantastic and saved my leg by putting a titanium pin in.

After I recovered it took me six months to get back on a mountain bike as I didn't initially want to ride on the road. Thankfully I was protected, and helped by the cycling fraternity to get back into cycling again.

Climbing over the Galibier

Nowadays I tend to do long, challenging road and mountain bike cyclosportives, which give me so much satisfaction and allow me to go to different places and countries. One of my favourite places to ride is Mallorca. The roads, climbs, cafes, sun and company make for superb riding and fun.  I usually go there in May and am a Ride Leader on the Legros Training Camp.

My favourite bikes are my Argon 18 carbon road bike and my Trek Procaliber. When I ride the Argon it feels like I'm flying. The Procaliber is a fantastic bike to experience the challenges of mountain biking now that I'm in my fifties, and it makes me want to improve and up my game.

When I go out cycling I am never without my phone. As well as having it for emergencies, I use it to take photos to remind myself of the wonderful views, people and experiences I have on my rides.

Cycling has given me some unforgettable experiences. For instance, I did a nine-day cycling trip from Geneva to Nice (La Route des Grandes Alpes). The weather was atrocious, which made each day a challenge both climbing and descending the Alps. Three of us experienced climbing over a fresh avalanche on the Col du Galibier and lived to tell the tale.

Our family has also been supporting African cycling projects. The Africa Rising Racing team was instigated after the Rwanda Genocide to show that the various factions could work, train and live together, giving hope of re-uniting all the Rwandans after the most horrendous war crimes.

Cycling trip to Rwanda

We went to an auction to help raise funds for the team, and ended up bidding and winning a trip to Rwanda to cycle with some of the team riders. Marek and I went on the trip in January this year.

Also we were asked by Anna one evening, after we’d had a few gin and tonics, if we would host for two weeks four riders from the current team and their coach, so that they could race here. It was a great time and we were happy to be involved in helping these unspoilt lads gain their dreams of getting onto international sponsored teams.

Hosting Team Rwanda 

There are still cycling adventures I would like to have. It would be great to take a bike and a bivvy sleeping bag to cycle and sleep in the open air frequently. I would also like to hire an Italian castle for a month, invite cyclist friends to join us for rides, eating, and drinking - simple!

I would like to inspire other people to ride and enjoy cycling no matter what age they are. For anyone wanting to get into cycling, particularly an adult who may not know how to ride a bike, my advice is to be patient with yourself. Learn to walk before you can run. Join a cycling club that does beginner rides, listen to the advice they give, and enjoy the fellowship and tea-stops. 

Also, don't buy the cheapest bike as you'll have to upgrade very quickly!”

Other Cycling Voices
Emily Chappell

Michelle Webster

Grace and Lucy Garner

Hannah Bussey

Carolyn Hewett-Maessen

Caroline Martinez

Niusha Doyom

Maria David

52 Cycling Voices - 7: Michelle Webster

On a recent skiing trip to Chamonix-Mont Blanc, France, while I was trying out some cross-country skiing in the Bouchet Wood I came across a couple - Michelle and Phil - who were riding fat bikes in the snow along trails. It was great to come across biker types even during that trip. We got chatting, and I arranged to catch up with Michelle a couple of days later in a bar in the centre of Chamonix. It turns out that Michelle is originally from Hawaii but has lived in Chamonix for nine years. Phil is from not quite so far away - Hertfordshire, UK. After all these years they now consider themselves to be locals of the Alps, and enjoy the outdoor lifestyle it brings.


Michelle Webster, aged 31

Lives: Chamonix, France

From: Maui, Hawaii

Freelance copywriter and copy editor

“I grew up riding motorcycles from when I was five, and my grandmother got me into golfing from a young age. Even though I grew up in Hawaii I didn’t surf until I was 16 – go figure! My dad would do up vintage motorcycles, and he and my mum raced them in Colorado, and in the desert. So it was natural that I got into motorbikes.

I only got into cycling eight years ago, a year after I arrived in Chamonix. Myself and a friend had been travelling around Europe on a three-month trip, but the exchange rate was so bad when we arrived that it literally halved my savings and we ran out of money after about a month! 

My friend had been working here as an au pair and suggested we go to Chamonix where she knew people who could offer us work for a couple of weeks to keep our trip going. I had never even heard of Chamonix before, but when we got here, within 30 minutes I loved the place. People were paragliding, climbing, and going down the river in a raft and everything, and I just thought – I’m not leaving this place! So we spent the remaining two months of our trip here. I went back to the States for a couple of months, saved up more money to return here in the winter, and I have never left Chamonix since!

Not long after arriving in Chamonix I met my partner, Phil, through motorcycling and golf, and he got me into mountain biking. I had heard a bit about mountain biking but I didn’t really know what it was.  Phil was a mountain bike guide so he really encouraged me to give it a try. We went out one day, and I sort of got hooked immediately, even though I felt like I was gasping and dying, and feeling terrible! Phil said I did very well (!) and I had good positioning on the descents - probably because my skills from riding motorcycles. 

Then three months after I started mountain biking I did the Tour de Mont Blanc. It’s a five-day trip around the Mont Blanc on various trails. The total amount of ups and downs are the equivalent of riding up and down Ben Nevis every day for five days. 

Nobody rides the whole thing, as some parts are just impossible – either too steep up or down, with rocks and steps. I trained by practicing all these really uncomfortable climbs along jeep tracks, which meant climbing for an hour and a half – almost on the limit of what I could keep doing. I got through the ride, and it was amazing. The second time I did the Tour de Mont Blanc it was much better and I felt more confident as I knew what I would be up against.  

There is a good little cycling community in Chamonix. However, the trails are geared towards walkers and the local authority doesn’t really encourage mountain biking. Here, we have the Aiguille du Midi which a lot of tourists come to visit. The Eiffel Tower is the only other monument in France that gets more visitors than the Aiguille du Midi. So Chamonix doesn’t really need the money from mountain biking! They put in a couple of downhill trails, but that’s not really what I’m into. I prefer more single-track, technical stuff. 
  

I’ve got a friend, Angie, who’s 52 years old, and up until she got hit by a snowmobile last winter she was riding incredible stuff. She’s a really great rider, really fit, and just so lovely. Hopefully next summer she’ll be able to get back on the bike.

There is a 24-hour race here where you have a relay team and you ride for 24 hours around a flat track. I have thought about doing races but I have not done any yet. It’s something I might look into in the future, but as things are now, I would be relying more on my technical skills than my endurance.

In the summer I try and cycle at least a couple of times a week. It’s really challenging in Chamonix as there are lots of roots and rocks. It’s literally just up and then down for pretty much all of the riding and we’re doing 500-700 metre-climbs and sometimes it’s just at the limit of what you can pedal up. I learned mountain biking here so I don’t really know anywhere else, though everyone who comes here says that it’s super-challenging, so I take their word for it!

If you are coming here to visit and you are not familiar with the area there’s a great valley ride that is challenging but not crazy. It’s a Chamonix classic, the Balcon (balcony). The Balcon consists of the trails that run either side of the valley.  It sort of gives you a taste of everything that Chamonix has to offer. The trails are a bit steep, a bit rooty, a bit rocky, and it goes up to Argentiere, and then back down the other side. It’s a great ride, with challenging single-track, and nice flowy stuff.

I have just started fat-biking in the snow on trails that we normally do in the summer  I can’t believe how well the bike grips. I let down the tyres really flat and it’s amazing. I mean stuff that would be hard to walk up and down, becomes ridable because the bike actually grips. It’s unbelievable and you’re thinking - I could never do this on a normal mountain bike - but the fat bike just climbs and climbs. As long as you can keep the wheels spinning it just carries on climbing.

At first, the bike felt really odd because the tyres are so wide that when on the road the steering almost did the opposite of what I wanted. It was like it had a mind of it’s own and was almost fighting me. As the bike doesn’t have the full suspension like my bike has, it felt a little bit bulky. I was a little bit unsure of the riding, but once I got onto a nice narrow track, it was really amazing. It felt like it was summer again and I could ride all the snowy trails that I normally ride during the sunny months. 

We usually go for months without being able to ride our mountain bikes unless we drag ourselves down to Italy. So it was really eye-opening to just see the possibilities of keeping your summer fitness. With the fat bike it’s like, wow! The only thing is the trails are coated in snow, ice, and wet roots. I couldn’t believe how well the bike climbed. Even on the descents there were really steep parts that were dangerous to walk, but the bike gripped well and just sailed down them.

Riding a fat bike is definitely more tiring than riding my usual mountain bike. The difference is like the difference between riding a road bike versus a mountain bike but with a fat bike the tyres are four times as wide! 

Also the tyre pressures are low and flat and there’s no suspension so it bounces a bit more. It’s sort of clumsy, but what it opens up for you is worth the downgrade in comfort that you would get from a good mountain bike.

Most people know me as a golfer, as I’ve been golfing since I was five. So that’s probably more of an identifier, but for me I enjoy mountain biking more. You can never ever have a bad day mountain biking. If you crash that’s not great, but in golfing you can finish your day just wanting to crawl up into a ball. It can be so frustrating, even soul-destroying. Whereas with mountain biking you never have a bad day. It’s so much fun and it frees you.

When you’re riding uphill and you’re struggling, it’s kind of medidative. When you are going downhill you don’t think of anything! So it’s a good way of clearing the mind, which helps me for golf! 

The fitness aspect of mountain biking is also really good for golf. Golf doesn’t seem that physical but it can make you mentally exhausted, and being fit can help with that. Also you’re walking something like 7km on a course, doing this twisting motion. Every time you hit a ball you’ve taken two or three practice swings and you’re carrying your bag, or pushing your bag, so it can be quite physical, so being fit really helps for that and your agility.

I’ve got a Specialized Evo Comp which I bought this year and it’s got full suspension. It's not a downhill bike but a cross-country bike because we like to pedal up. It’s not got carbon components on it, but still it has really opened up what I’ve been able to do.

My goal this year is to do the Tour de Mont Blanc with Phil. He had been doing his three-countries tour for 17 years so he wasn’t able to do the Tour of Mont Blanc when I did it. He finally wrapped up the business a couple of years ago, so it will be great to do the ride with Phil, and for him to see all the people he’s known for so long in the ride.  

I never ride without my lip balm. You’re up in the mountains, it’s windy, it’s cold or it’s super-hot so I need lip balm! My lip balm is a comfort that I can’t do without, and not having it just feels wrong!

Chamonix is an amazing place. There’s a golf course a five-minute drive away and you can go mountain biking straight out of your house, and you’re on a trail in five minutes. If you want to go up the valley you can either ride there or get on a train and take the bikes up and ride down. You can also go to Sallanches, which is a half-hour drive away, where there are more trails. Then when you’re done you can either drive or get the train back to Chamonix free of charge. It’s amazing, and I feel lucky to have found Chamonix all those years ago.” 


Website: www.thesubpargolfer.com

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/thesubpargolfer/ 

Instagram: @thesubpargolfer  


Other Cycling Voices

Grace and Lucy Garner

Hannah Bussey

Carolyn Hewett-Maessen

Caroline Martinez

Niusha Doyom

Maria David