What does cycling mean to you?

Cycling fills my need to explore and experience the world. Whether it’s the neighbourhood loop or a multiple-thousand-kilometre race across a country or continent. Riding my bike brings community, freedom, passion, and so much more. It’s also where I do the best thinking!

What was the spark for your love of cycling as a sport?

Towards the end of my time at university, I started racing on the road. I found exploration and freedom with the bike there. I remember riding up one of the biggest mountains we had in the area, Reddish Knob – whopping 10.73 kilometers with 762 metres for my newbie self. It was the first time I realised I would ride bikes for the rest of my life!

What has been your biggest challenge and your proudest achievement in cycling so far?

Over the years of racing and riding, I’m proud to have learned to take care of my health. Happy racers go faster! But with this effort comes the most challenging of all: continuing to make good decisions for my mind and body. Choosing to forego a race start due to injury can be one of the most challenging decisions, but in the long run it’s the best for my longevity in the sport and in life.

What type of events excite you the most?

I want to race and ride it all! I’ll line up any day for a flat-out fast gravel race with a pack, but I also love to work myself into a groove with a long ultra race across a mountainous region.

Why did you choose Café du Cycliste as your cycling apparel partner?

It’s easy when the company’s motto is how I live my life: forever outside! I’ve always been a fan of the Café du Cycliste style. Their support for women over the years has been incredible and I’m happy to partner with a brand that invests in the growth of women in the outdoor space.

How do you prepare for a gravel race?

Ultra racing requires an insurmountable amount of preparation. From the training to the packing list. My preparation includes:
– Coaching on and off the bike with the Orange Seal Academy
– Spending time to visualise all the aspects of an event including the potential highs, lows, mechanicals, etc.
– Leading up to an event, I test out my equipment: the lights, my bike, and the nutrition I’ll be taking.
– I look over the route and study the resupply locations on multiple occasions

Are you more of a lone explorer, or does the community aspect of cycling matter to you?

I like to think I’m both a lone explorer and centred on others in the cycling space. Ultra cycling gives me the ability to dig into that self reflection and exploration. Hosting my gravel event, Gravista, allows for a large community to gather around bikes. Cycling and adventuring outside has always been where I tend to build the strongest connections with others. I even met my partner, Steven, while racing gravel in Europe!

What are you most looking forward to in 2025?

I’m in Colombia now for the Transcordilleras stage race. Racing over 1,000 kilometres in eight days across the Bogotá region. I’ll be lining up at the Traka 560 for a crack at the win. Afterwards, I’ll head back to the States to put on my race director hat for Gravista, a gravel race in the mountains of Virginia, on May 10th. Then I’ll go on a 700-kilometre bikepacking trip in Pennsylvania on the Endless Mountains route with Steven and a good friend.The Goats ultra is up next in June, with 730 kilometres across Northern Portugal. I’ll button up the season with a race across Europe in the Transcontinental starting in Santiago de Compostela and finishing in Constanta, Romania. The biggest goal of the season is to get outside as often as possible. Whether it’s for a short spin to the coffee shop or racing across Europe!