About me
From the start.
Growing up in Oxfordshire cycling was a family hobby. Many of my earliest memories are of the car and trailer being loaded up with bikes, ready to drive down to the South of France for our summer holidays. I was 8 years old when we moved north to Towcester, Northamptonshire and my love for the sport really began. As a family we began to attend the Wednesday evening children sessions at the nearby MK bowl and it was because of these evenings that I spent my younger years racing across a variation of cycling disciplines; road, mountain bike, cyclo-cross, time-trialling and track racing.
As a Youngster.
As a family we spent most weekends travelling up and down the country where myself, my sister Hannah and my brother Henry would race across these disciplines. I will be the first to admit that I wasn’t the most gifted rider but luckily it was the love of racing and the friendships that developed that kept me on the start line. Until a nice little growth spurt going into the U16 category and abit more “training” in the winter took me from being lapped to stepping onto the podium.
Stepping through the system.
In 2009 I joined the National programme called the ‘Talent team’ for U16 riders. With this came more international races and training camps. Following this, in 2011 I moved up onto the Olympic Development programme for Juniors, which lead to a choice of what discipline to focus on. I chose Mountain biking . In 2012 as a Junior I attended my first World MTB Championships in Austria, and again the following year in Pietermaritzburg South Africa, where I finished 7th.
A lot to learn.
Following my Junior years I continued along the path of British Cycling, making my way onto the Academy programme and moving up to Manchester at the end of 2013. In 2014 I raced to 5th at the Commonwealth games in the Mountain bike race and finished the year 7th in the U23 World championships in Norway. The season was also memorable for my selection for my first World Road championships, at the elite level. Fast forward to the following year, 2015, and I had my best MTB World cup result in Mont St Anne, Canada, finishing 3rd. I finished the year in Richmond, Virginia, riding in support of Lizzie Deignan where she went on to win the coveted rainbow stripes of World Champion.
A year of change.
In the beginning of 2016 I began to juggle mountain biking and road racing alot more, with potential to go to Rio Olympics on the road, which I can honestly say I found very stressful. This is what lead me to the decision to focus more on the road and to join Team Drops in May. My first race was a huge success with the team where I won at the top of the cobbled Michaelgate climb in Lincoln with team mates completing the podium. For the second year in a row I finished second in the National championships but this time behind my sister Hannah and with that still taking the U23 National title. Even when Olympic selection had been made and I hadn’t made the team there was never a moment of looking back for me. I was loving racing on the road with a team and decided to continue on this path. I continued in 2017 with Drops gaining alot of experience and some more podiums along the way. The proudest for me personally placing 2nd on stage 3 and 6th overall in the OVO Womens tour and also winning stage 1 on the Bene Ladies tour in a two up sprint with Marianne Vos.
Made a move.
In 2018 I signed with Canyon//SRAM. A team that my sister already raced for, and that I had been looking up to and dreaming of joining for some years. I learn so much in my first year in the team, along with winning a stage in the German stage race Thuringen. By far the most successful and memorable moment of my career came at the end of 2018 where we won the Team Time-Trial World championships in Austria. A goal that we put a great deal of time and effort into. The feeling to step onto the podium together was one that I will never forget, especially alongside my sister.
A week to remember.
I went into the 2019 National championships with the form of my life and a great deal of determination having places 4th at the European games in Minsk twice the week before. I was named as a favourite so had a lot of pressure but also much to loose. I went out all guns blazing in the TT, where there was definitely a risk of blowing up, however I was able to hold the pace to the line and take my first elite National title. A few days later in the Road race I felt even more pressure, as it is always a difficult race with some teams having a large amount of riders competing. To cross the line at the end of the race first with my arms in the air was a huge relief and a moment I had been dreaming of for many years. To be able to race in the National jersey around the world would be incredibly special.
Same but Different.
After 5 years with Canyon//SRAM I felt that I was ready for a change. I had learnt a lot of my time with them and had a lot of ups and downs along the way. I am not apart of Human Powered Health, an American registered team but with a similar European calendar to what my previous years will have been. I am really looking forward to having a new environment with new riders where I can share my knowledge and also have some exciting opportunities.
Wearing them with pride.
In 2020 I entered my 3rd year with Canyon//SRAM and well, we all know what happened in 2020. The pandemic meant there there were no National championships held in the UK and I continued to be the holder of the national stripes for another year. I am proud to I have stepped onto the podium a few times wearing them but hopefully I can take them to the top step soon as we begin the 2021 season!