Later this year Sportsister will be joining Victoria Pendleton at Cycletta, two women only cycling events.

With the launch of Cycletta, how do you hope to inspire and influence more women into cycling?

The idea is to give women the opportunity to cycle on traffic free roads, and to make it as appealing as possible. I think that women tend to band together and do things in large groups fairly easily. We encourage each other and support each other, and I really wanted to get involved with this event to promote it. I think it’s a great opportunity to encourage more women to cycle.

As an ambassador for Cycletta, what do you believe are the advantages of having ’Women Only’ cycling events?

The biggest draw for me with Cycletta is the traffic free roads, because there are a lot of women that lack confidence on the roads on their bikes. I think being given the chance to ride in a traffic free environment takes away that stress, so that you can just enjoy what you’re doing.

Knowing what it’s like to train and ride with men, I know it can get very competitive! The competitive element of events is not always what draws women in. Whilst there are a lot of competitive females out there, and I have to put my hand up and say that I am one of them, this element may not appeal to all women, so by removing any competitiveness it may make it more appealing to more women.

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Related features:

Sportsister’s cycling blog – Sisters in the Saddle ^[1]

Sportsister training: Cycle sportive plan ^[2]

Shingai’s sporting challenge ^[3]

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At the Cycletta events, where do you see yourself cycling in the group?

I’m going to be in amongst the crowd. I really enjoy chatting to people and I think it’s important for me to speak to as many people as possible and make their experience worthwhile. I am not going to be racing round at the front because I can do that on any day, this is going to be all about the enjoyment and more of a recovery ride for me.

What would be your three top tips for all riders taking part in the Cycletta events?

1) Go at your own pace

2) Invest in some cycle shorts - this is always a good idea!

3) Make sure that you are adequately hydrated and have some food in your back pocket. If you run out of energy it’s no fun.

What would you say is the best route for budding cyclists to go from riding in Cycletta to getting more involved with competitive cycling?

The best thing you can do is to join a cycle club or group. You’ll find the best advice here, as well as having people to go on long rides with. Find one that suits you and your goals. Having people around you that know about competitive cycling is key. Join a club that has some successful cyclists already racing and you can learn loads from your club mates in this way. I think cyclists are always really glad to help when they can.

Can you share your top tips for hills

1) Make use of all your gear range, and always engage your gears earlier rather than later.

2) Get out of the saddle on the climb.

3) Go at your own natural pace, don’t get tempted to go faster, or slower, than your comfort zone.

4) When descending keep a really close eye on the surface of the road for any potential hazards.

5) If it’s really steep it can help to put your weight back over the back of the saddle and this can make you feel more controlled in your descent.

For many women it’s a challenge finding the time to exercise. You have an Olympic athlete training schedule, as well as other commitments such as your role as Cycletta Ambassador, how do you manage to balance your time?

Fortunately for me I have people to help me balance it, which is a huge help. The training for me is my priority and everything else has to come second to that. I have to admit my life is fairly busy and there are certain things that I have to sacrifice, for example I don’t have much of a social life. I just have to be very well organised. But I’m very lucky that I am able to prioritise my training as that’s my job. For many women to fit the training in is the tricky bit.

One of the ways we suggest to our readers to help fit exercise into their busy lives is to combine it with seeing a friend, and go training together. Do you have a best friend from the world of cycling that you like to train with?

I’d say my best friend in cycling is Ross Edgar. He comes from the south east of England as well and we both had to relocate to Manchester around the same time. When I am feeling a bit grumpy or not very enthusiastic, or he is, then we encourage each other and push each other to go out on the road anyway. I think that is really helpful to have somebody there to cycle with on those days when you don’t feel quite as motivated as you should.

If you could swap places with another sports star for a week who would it be and why?

Ooh that’s a hard question, I’d like to do all of them. I wouldn’t mind swapping with Amy (Williams) and having a go on the bob skeleton. But also I’d like to swap with Jess Ennis as she has lots of different events to do so it must be quite exciting and varied. And also Heather Fell, as I like horses then modern pentathlon would be great.

How to enter Cycletta

Cycletta South: Whipsnade Park - Sunday 11th September

Cycletta North: Tatton Park - Sunday 2nd October

Entry to the events cost £45 and the deadline for entry is 31st July 2011.

More info: www.cycletta.co.uk ^[4]

Louise Hudson, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine