Hometown: Christchurch, New Zealand but reside in Melbourne, Australia.

How did you get into cycling? My intro to cycling was through triathlon. I met my husband, and he raced Ironman.  At the time I did some running for fitness, was an ex-competitive swimmer but had never ridden a bike.  He suggested I jump on a bike and give a sprint triathlon a go and from there my love of cycling and triathlon began. 

How many years have you been racing on Zwift? Actually, not that many.  It was only in 2021 that I really started to explore Zwift racing.  Living in Melbourne, Australia through COVID we had one of the harshest/longest lock-down periods across the globe (and were not allowed to go more than a 5km radius from home) and it was over that time that I really got into Zwift racing.  At the time I was still training for world championship triathlon events and used Zwift racing in my preparations but also just to really push myself and have fun during what was a challenging time.

Are you part of a Virtual team? Yep! I am part of BL13.  Last season was my first season racing for a team.  I had so much fun, and the team was so welcoming and supportive.  Although I love to race and work hard on the bike, I have enjoyed having some experienced Zwift racers around me to offer tips and tricks.

What do you love most about racing? I love pushing myself and getting the best out of myself IRL and in virtual racing.  Particularly in a team racing environment as you aren’t only racing for yourself but for the success of a team.  Triathlon is a very individual sport, so I have really enjoyed the team element of Zwift racing. Being an endurance athlete, I have also really enjoyed developing my top-end power – this is tough! Being an endurance athlete, I am well used to dialing in Z3 power for 180km, but developing my top end power has been challenging, which is why I have also enjoyed it and love seeing improvements and working on something new and different.  

What is your favourite style of race (e.g. points, scratch, iTT, TTT, Chase, duathlon)? I do prefer a traditional scratch style or points race. The points races have been the most challenging for me – learning to sprint and recover quick enough but that’s part of the challenge and why I have learnt to love them. A iTT is much more similar to my triathlon-style racing, so I enjoy mixing things up when it comes to Zwift racing and working on my lesser-developed skills.

What is your most memorable racing experience, inside, outside or both? The Ironman World Champs in St. George in 2022 was a great experience – being on the Zwift Academy Triathlon team was an awesome experience but the race was also very memorable as I was able to overcome 2x punctures on the bike to become an AG Ironman World Champion.  Backing this up in Kona 2023 and becoming 2x Ironman World Champion was also top of the most memorable list.

What is your favourite food to eat post-race? Guilty post-race pleasure is the one and only golden arches.  Can’t go past a cheeseburger, chocolate thick shake and some salty fries with sweet and sour sauce.

What advice would you give to a woman entering her first Zwift race? There are so many great race series with a great community behind them. Jump in and get involved and ask questions… there are so many people willing to offer help and advice.  I would suggest joining a virtual team as this gives you access to a great support network.  Although I had a lot of IRL race experience when I joined BL13, I was very green on the virtual racing side of things, and it was so great to have plenty of teammates on hand to learn from and help develop my virtual racing skills.  It’s important to remember that you don’t have to be an elite-level cyclist to get involved in virtual racing – there is something for everyone.

Any upcoming races you are looking forward to? I can’t wait to get involved in the ZRL race season again – I’ll be taking part once the AUS time zone changes over.  I’m also hoping to give the Zwift World Series racing a crack from round 3 if I can nab a qualification spot. IRL I have the Ironman 70.3 World Champs coming up in December so full focus will be on that, and I love incorporating some hard Zwift racing and workouts into my build – so see you online!

Where can people follow your racing adventures? Insta – @vanmurraytri Strava – https://strava.app.link/YfNftE220Mb

Hometown: Glenview, Illinois, USA

How did you get into cycling? I have always loved riding my bike, but it was when my husband surprised me with a road bike in 2015 that I really got into cycling – including training and racing – and haven’t stopped since! I started riding in Zwift in that same year. Watopia was the only map available at the time; it had only one 9.1km route, known today as the “Hilly Route”. I used to bump into Eric Min quite often as the route was so short and it had very few riders. As my love for cycling grew, I eventually “retired” from my career in Consulting and started my own coaching business, www.360velo.com

How many years have you been racing on Zwift? About 7 years! I started racing in Zwift when pens did not even exist, back in 2016-2017. I was a member of Team ODZ at the time, and we organized the ODivaZ race, one of the very first women-only races in Zwift. I also participated in the CVR World Cup, a live Zwift event in the Paris Velodrome in September 2017, where I got to meet many of my Zwift friends in person. From there, I’ve participated in various women’s race series, Zwift Pro/AM, and USA Cycling sanctioned events, including Esports Nationals. 

Are you part of a Virtual team? Yes, I am a member of the Revolution Velo Racing team (REVO) and absolutely love it. It is a women’s team and everyone is very supportive of one another. It’s not only about racing, it’s also about having fun. I race and lead social rides for REVO.

What do you love most about racing?  The friendships and support from teammates, and the challenge of pushing myself beyond my perceived physical and mental limitations. 

What is your favourite style of race (e.g. points, scratch, iTT, TTT, Chase, duathlon)? Points and scratch races are my favorite because they provide more opportunities for tactics. As a punchy rider, I also prefer the races with lots of variations in speed and power. The Crit races with steering are loads of fun also.

What is your favourite Zwift women’s race series? Tour de Boudicca

What is your most memorable racing experience, inside or outside or BOTH? Outside was the 2021 USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships. It was freezing, there was ice on the course and the course itself was way above my skill level. I had a great start but after falling a few times, my shifting was broken and I made the mistake of trying to finish the race anyway… which resulted in me breaking my leg. It was memorable because there were so many lessons learned from before, during, and after the race. Inside was the 2024 USA Cycling Esports National Championships. I never went so deep during a race, and it showed me how our minds play such a pivotal role in our performance. My heart rate was between 185-195 bpm for the entire second half of the race (25 minutes). I overcame nausea and dizziness and got the win. 

What is your favourite food to eat post race? Rice pudding mixed with whey protein powder and maple syrup. I know it’s unusual, but it tastes amazing to me and packs the carbs and protein I need for recovery.

What advice would you give to a woman entering her first Zwift race? Have a learner’s mindset: go in with the goal of learning about yourself as a racer (physically and mentally) and the racing itself. Don’t focus on results or others. Rather, focus on discovering the elements that will make you a better racer as you continue to participate in races. Racing in Zwift is as low risk as it gets in competitive cycling, and as such, it is the perfect environment to try new things, push yourself, and have fun. So many racers are worried about what others will think of them, when in reality everyone is just thinking about themselves. 

Any upcoming race you are looking forward to?  The fall/winter Zwift Racing League and the USA Cycling Esports Nationals again in January!

Hometown: Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire 

How did you get into cycling? I was previously a runner but gradually as injuries got the better of me I was advised to stop running and I needed to find something else to replace it.  I got a mountain bike and started riding at trail centers.  After a couple of years and several crashes later, I got a road bike and started riding a little bit on the road, joined a club and entered a few TTs.  During Covid I was lent an indoor bike and discovered it connected to Zwift.  This opened up a whole new world, and being a competitive person, I launched myself into Zwift racing.

How many years have you been racing on Zwift? About 4 years, after starting like many people during lockdown.  It began with the occasional race, then using it for training and gradually becoming more and more immersed. I am part of a race team and I volunteer as a ride leader on the GTCC social rides, which is a great experience.

Are you part of a virtual team? Yes, I race the WTRL team time trials for a women’s team called Amicis.  The support these women have for each other is phenomenal, and I have been lucky enough to meet some of them IRL.  I always think it’s amazing firstly how Zwift allows you to ride and race with people all over the world, but even more amazing, how a group can race together from their kitchens, garages, and spare rooms from literally anywhere in the world whilst chatting on Discord.

What do you love the most about racing?  I love how racing pushes me beyond what I think I can do.  I would never push myself to that level without others to chase.  Trying to stay with a group of riders really shows you what your limits actually are, rather than what you think they are.  It’s lots of fun and very rewarding.

What is your favourite style of race? Individual time trials.  Yes they are tough, but they really are a great test of physical and mental fitness and I enjoy how it challenges me. I also like working as part of the team in the team time trials.  This is a different skill set and different type of fitness, but I like working with my team to achieve something together, whilst being able to talk to them on Discord.

What is your favourite Zwift women’s race series? I enjoyed doing the old Sheries women’s races.  It is from doing these races that I was first approached to join a race team, and this gave me a platform to really embrace everything Zwift had to offer in terms of community racing.  I started to get to know the regular riders and learn how to race.  The other women were so encouraging.

What is your most memorable racing experience, inside, outside or both? On Zwift it has to be the women’s chase race on International Women’s Day this year.  This was an incredible experience, working with a team of women from all over the world, taking turns to pull on the front to protect other riders for the good of the team. This was the biggest group of women I have ever raced with in one race.  Just phenomenal.  My most memorable outdoor race was the Tour of Cambridge.  This was my first proper road race and despite it being incredibly tough and having to dig deep, I was proud of what I achieved.

What is your favourite food to eat post race? Salted peanuts.  I love them and they taste so good after working hard.  Probably not on any nutritionist’s menu.

What advice would you give to women entering their first Zwift race?  Just give it a go.  What have you got to lose?  If you find you don’t like it or you’ve had enough, you can stop and get off your bike and you’re in the safety of your own home.  You don’t have to worry about riding back home, you are already there.  Nobody knows who you are or where you are, so you can be completely anonymous if you want to be.  But, I would say embrace the community, it is very supportive and I have got to know lots of riders who are now friends.  Also: there is no traffic or potholes to worry about.  

Any upcoming race you are looking forward to? I’m looking forward to my next in real life individual time trial because I really want to beat my previous time.

Of course I would! But first, I reached out to Zwift to find out if Cat would indeed be the first to hit that mammoth 300,000km mark. Zwift confirmed that she would.

It takes a special blend of life circumstances, fitness, and tenacity to attain the kind of results Cat has seen, so I knew chatting with her would be really interesting. Read the interview below, and be sure to join her group ride on December 14 when she hits 300,000km on Zwift!

Tell me about yourself. Where are you from, and what do you spend your time doing when you’re not on the bike?

I am from the UK (born and brought up near Brighton) and have lived in West London since 2011.  I have also lived in Paris (as a teenager) and also spent 11 years living in Melbourne, Australia from 2000 to 2011.  I work full-time as a Pension Director at a multinational consulting and investments firm, and have worked for the same company for 25 years! 

When I am not working or Zwifting I love running, yoga, hanging out with my daughter, spending time with my partner Graham (we live apart so only see each other at weekends), having pizza and prosecco evenings with my girlfriends, seeing my sister and niece, doing puzzles and DIY. I also spend time with my mum who is 80 and lives two floors down from us in our small block of flats.  

How did you discover cycling/Zwift? 

I discovered cycling when I was living in Australia – I moved out there in 2000 and soon became an avid runner due to the great weather and outdoors lifestyle. I cross-trained a bit on the bike and then slowly got into road biking more and more when I had running injuries.  Running is my real true passion, but it’s a cruel sport and I soon realised I needed another love to focus on so that I wasn’t so miserable when sidelined from running!  I never dreamed of cycling indoors back then.  I did a lot of swimming as well and managed to get up to regular 5km swims.

I discovered Zwift in January 2018 after a persistent running injury left me sidelined. By this time, I had become a solo mum, and going out on my bike was not an option. So, I bought a turbo and started on Fulgaz at the end of 2017 and got bored with it quickly. But a work friend was Zwifting and told me to try it!  I remember so clearly the evening I tried my first little Zwift pootling around London.  I loved it and I never looked back.

Tell me about your Zwift setup. What sort of trainer do you use, what device do you run Zwift on, what are your favourite pain cave accessories, etc?

I currently use a Stages Bike with Assioma Duo power pedals. The Stages Bike is brilliant, but due to my excessive mileage I have to replace the crank power meter batteries every few weeks. So I tend to just use the power pedals and the bike for resistance. I also have a Wattbike and a KICKR Core so I always have a backup ready, plus the KICKR Core has gone to Spain and Turkey on holiday with me!

I use a MacBook Pro for Zwifting. I have my spare room set up for Zwift – with a lovely view out my pain cave window across to Bushy Park in London – the perks of a penthouse flat.  My favourite Pain Cave accessory is a close call between my constant supply of Jelly babies and my litter picker (very useful if you are prone to dropping things).  I also love my Vacmaster fan – I have yet to try it on level 3 as level 1 almost blows me off my bike!

I hear you’re also an avid runner. Which came first, riding or running? How do you think the two complement each other?

I love running and it came first!  I have loved it since I started running in 2001 in Australia. I have completed 11 marathons, and I even won a marathon in 2007!  I still would love to do more. Unfortunately, I am prone to doing too much, and running doesn’t let you do that and plagues you with injuries BUT I seem to be able to do Zwift crazy miles and not get injured.  So, I love that I can “sweat out my crazy” on Zwift. 

Running makes me a better Zwifter because my cardio system can cope with sustained efforts at a high heart rate – I find my strength lies in long hard efforts like the Alpe and less so in punchy efforts.  I am a rubbish sprinter.  Zwifting makes me a better runner because my legs aren’t battered by just constantly running, as high-impact sports like running really take it out of you.  What I have learned in the last 7 years of trying to combine Zwifting and running is that you have to be really careful building up running mileage because the cardio system is so good from Zwift, but the “running body” takes much longer to adapt, so you feel like you could go out and run a half marathon but you aren’t biomechanically adapted enough so you can get injured so much quicker. 

300,000km is a huge achievement. I just checked my Zwift profile, and I’ve been Zwifting since November 2015 – 2+ years longer than you – and I’m just over 88,000km. That’s wild. Explain how you fit that much riding into your life. What does your weekly riding schedule look like? 

Monday to Friday I get up at 4am and I am on the bike before 4:30 and I will stay on until 8ish, unless I have to be in the office or need to travel for work or have an appointment.  I am a home-based worker, so it allows me to use commute time to Zwift.  On Saturdays, I tend to try and do my longest time on the bike (4+ hours) and Sundays I do my shortest ride of 100km.  I lead every Wednesday morning 3R Volt or 3R Octane interval training in the hills, and I lead the 100km every other Saturday morning. I have been leading for 3R for over 6 years! 

See upcoming 3R events at zwift.com >

I run 3 to 4 times a week at lunchtime, and if not running, I do yoga.  I try to make my Zwift as varied as possible, doing group rides across D, C, and B cats, RoboPacers (bot ramps and pyramids are fun), solo badge hunts, tours, intervals, and chilled rides with friends.  I focus very much on heart rate training and know that to sustain the high mileage, I need to do a lot of zone 1 riding or I will burn out. Overtraining syndrome is real, and I suffered it many years ago training for a marathon. I don’t want to experience it again. It’s far less about the volume you do but more about managing the intensity of that volume. 

Everyone knows that time on the bike can be like medicine. But it can also feel like a chore some days. Do you ever deal with a lack of motivation to ride, and if so, how do you overcome it?

It is quite rare that I am not motivated.  I don’t even debate getting on the bike each day.  Alarm goes off and I get up.  On days where I am tired or not that motivated, I just tell myself “start pedaling and see how you feel,” and I inevitably get into a rhythm.  Knowing so many people on Zwift lifts your spirits as well.  It’s not long before someone you know says hi after you start riding!

You’re a solo parent to a neurodivergent child, plus you’ve got a full-time job. Would you say your hours on the bike or running help keep you sane in the midst of life challenges, or do they add to the challenge?

“Mummy would be scary if she didn’t Zwift or run.”  This is what I told my daughter years ago when she asked why I Zwift and run so much!  I adopted my daughter in 2014 as a single parent.  As someone who had had the freedom to run and ride as much as I wanted outside, my life changed overnight becoming a solo mum.  I knew I needed to keep running for mental well-being, so I ran in my work lunch breaks and bought a treadmill.  It helped me cope with adapting to motherhood.  That obviously progressed to buying a turbo and finding Zwift.

Time Zwifting, running, and doing yoga massively help me stay sane and face life’s challenges – there have been many and there have been times in the last 10 years of juggling a challenging job and motherhood of an AuDHD child that I have been at a breaking point!   If I ever felt they added to my burden I would cut back.  I never want to feel like exercise is a burden – it’s been my passion for 25 years.  It helps my mental health and my self-esteem and has brought me so many new and special friendships.

Do you ride outside at all? 

Since I became a mum, I can count on both hands the number of outdoor rides I have done.  Partly because I can’t (can’t leave my daughter alone) and partly because I won’t.  She only has me, and she has suffered so much painful loss in her young life I don’t want to put myself at risk on the roads where I live.

I get my fresh air running outside!  Zwifting is perfect.  Lots of riding but my daughter can chat to me at anytime and my only worry is tripping over a cat in our house with post-Zwift jelly legs!

You’ve ridden every route in game at least once, which is no small achievement. Did this happen through a lot of purposeful, focused effort, or was it more of an “organic” achievement as you put in your weekly miles?

This has been purposeful.  I love route badge hunting.  As soon as new routes come out I do them all as soon as I can.  Then I try and do most of them again to get faster and faster times!  Drives me mad when Zwift puts out a new event-only route badge and there are no events!  New roads are always exciting days!

Speaking of completing all the routes… you’re the top-ranked female rider on the Zwift Insider Veloviewer Route Hunter Leaderboards. To do this, you have to ride every route in Zwift… and at a good pace. Is that something you specifically targeted? How did you approach it? 

I started off by finding out about all the Rebel Routes and the manual navigation, which I loved!  So, I was doing those when the Leaderboard came to life, and I saw that I was at the top for females so have been focussing on trying to keep there.  It’s pretty close with one other female who is super powerful so she may pip my position one day! 

Your ZwiftPower profile says you’ve completed over 2300 races on Zwift. Give me your three top tips for anyone wanting to improve their Zwift race results.

I used to race a lot in the early days of Zwifting but now I mainly do group rides and don’t race much at all. Well, I do like to race in the Tours – which are “not a race” (but we all know they are…)  So my Zwift power is a mixture of all types of events! As a lighter rider my preference is to race hilly routes.  I can hang on on flat routes but at 52kg I get destroyed in a finish sprint.  My three top tips are:

• Find your weakness and train it
• Remember they are hurting too, so hold on
• Your brain will try to convince you can’t, but your legs and lungs have much more to give

You’ve got a special ride coming up on December 14 where you’ll be hitting the 300,000km mark. Can you tell our readers more about that event?

The celebration of me ticking over to 300,000km will be on Saturday 14 December 7am (GMT) in the 3R Endurance Steady Ride. It’s a 100km C ride that I lead every other Saturday, and I would love people to join to celebrate with me even if it’s just for 20 minutes.  The pace is around 2.5wkg. Hope to see lots of friends and future friends there!

Hometown: Healdsburg, California

How did you get into cycling? Right after college, my husband jumped from college rowing to biking, and I thought he was nuts.  Having rowed for nearly a decade, I couldn’t imagine a replacement for the connections I made while rowing and the feeling of being in a boat with my teammates – so I instead settled into nearly two decades of light jogging, easy triathlon-ing, and pretty much languishing athletically.  After having my second son I felt the need for a stronger athletic outlet, and my husband finally convinced me to try Zwift.  I was lukewarm until I started racing in women-only fields in 2022.

How many years have you been racing on Zwift? I’ve been racing on Zwift since January 1, 2022.

Are you part of a Virtual team? Absolutely! I’ve been a member of The Coalition for over 2 years.  

What do you love most about racing? Tactics, strategy, and my teammates.  They inspire me, lift me up when I’m down, encourage me, and make me want to be better.

What is your favourite style of race (e.g. points, scratch, iTT, TTT, Chase, duathlon)? Anything with my teammates honestly, but a good chase race can’t be beat in my mind. I love the concept of working with the group you are with instead of against them.  TTT’s with my women’s team is a close second.

What is your favourite Zwift women’s race series? I’m torn on this one.  ZRL has great field sizes for women’s only racing, but I’m not a sprinter and sometimes I feel the courses favor one style of racer.  I love the Tour de Boudicca, the 3 day race series is a super interesting challenge in itself, field size and talent pool participating is awesome, and there’s something for every racer.  It almost feels like the back-to-back racing brings you closer to your competition.  I also love the FEARless championship, which is a longer race that usually happens in December, as it takes a lot of strategy to race in those longer races.

What is your most memorable racing experience, inside or outside or BOTH?  I convinced my ZRL teammates to try some crazy tactics on a points race, using our powerups sequentially as a team resource instead of individually.  We didn’t have many sprinters, so going super long for sprints was our only chance for points – and we successfully pulled off breakaways twice.  For me, this was super fun because it was crazy, and perhaps unwise… and so satisfying to see it work out.  

What is your favourite food to eat post race? Usually I don’t eat after a race, as I feel the need to lay on the cold bathroom floor…

What advice would you give to a woman entering her first Zwift race?  Don’t do it alone!  Racing can be fun in itself, but racing with a group of teammates adds so much to the experience.  And, I would pass along some great advice I received, which is to set yourself small goals and absolutely revel in meeting those goals: one sprint, one section, one minute of staying with the group. Whatever it is, just be proud of yourself for meeting that goal.

Any upcoming race you are looking forward to?  Tour de Boudicca 6.0!

Where can people follow your racing adventures? On Zwift, of course!

Hometown: South Australia 

How did you get into cycling? I initially used cycling as recovery from long distance and ultra running. Fast forward 10 years and I’m still cycling regularly! 

How many years have you been racing on Zwift? 6 years 

Are you part of a Virtual team? Queenbee Ladies, of course! We have race teams, 6 social group rides a week, regular meetups, and more. So lucky to be a part of this amazing group, supporting and connecting women through Zwift! 

What do you love most about racing? When I get to race with my QueenBee teammates, you can’t beat the thrill and excitement of racing, whether it’s a scratch race, Duathlon, or a TTT! 

What is your favourite style of race (e.g. points, scratch, iTT, TTT, Chase, duathlon)?  They are all awesome! 

What is your favourite Zwift women’s race series? Zwift Racing League Women Oceania and Tour de Boudicca. 

What is your most memorable racing experience, inside or outside or BOTH? Inside – Zwift Racing League team Queenbeecees finishing the season 3rd overall. Outside – QueenBees at Revolve 24 challenge, we also came 3rd overall.

What is your favourite food to eat post race? I always have a smoothie, either banana cacao or berry açai! 

What advice would you give to a woman entering her first Zwift race? Join a women’s Zwift club (e.g QueenBee Ladies) that encourages racing in a supportive environment. You’ll never be on your own, you will learn a lot, and most importantly, have fun! 

Any upcoming race you are looking forward to? I have had a break from racing for a while so am looking forward to getting back into racing with my QueenBee teammates. Zwift Racing League is calling!

Hometown: Sacramento, California

How did you get into cycling? It’s a long story, and it all happened because of triathlons. I was a competitive swimmer as a kid and then got into running in my twenties, and cycling actually wasn’t enjoyable to me back then – it was just a sport you had to do in order to get from the swim to the run part of a triathlon, and it wasn’t something I sought out to do. Oddly enough, I learned how to ride motorcycles and loved it, but riding bicycles just didn’t have the same allure.

As time went on, it meant a lot to me to do well with endurance races and multisport training, and I decided to give Zwift a shot since cycling was my weakest sport… that’s when something clicked and I got into cycling as a sport and began to really enjoy it and start doing it consistently. That change only just happened during the pandemic but it’s been transformative, and now cycling is fun!

How many years have you been racing on Zwift? I think early 2021 was my first official season of racing. 

Are you part of a Virtual team? Yes! I’m fortunate to actually split my time between two teams – the Herd of Little Penguins by day (EMEA), and ATP by night (Americas time zones). 

What do you love most about racing? It is physically and mentally challenging, and every race you do is a chance to learn and become stronger and smarter. Especially those races where your strategy doesn’t work or something just totally fails, there are always takeaways and lessons to be learned. 

What is your favourite style of race (e.g. points, scratch, iTT, TTT, Chase, duathlon)?  It’s probably a tie between scratch and iTT races. Scratch races can be really dynamic because you’re watching the pack and trying to predict when attacks might happen, but iTT is the race of truth – it’s just you and the clock. 

What is your favourite Zwift women’s race series? I have a soft spot for the Iceni series, since that was the first women’s race series I completed. It’s been awesome seeing how much the start lists for Iceni have grown over the past couple of years! Also, the Tour de Boudicca has been a really awesome race to follow each year. I haven’t been able to do it myself but have friends that participate, and it’s fun to hear about their stories from each stage. 

What is your most memorable racing experience, inside or outside or BOTH? This is a tough one to answer!  Outside experience… riding the Ironman Kona bike course. It has a lot of history, and hearing the stories beforehand from other people is one thing, but actually being out there riding it yourself and having your own experience is hard to describe. One of my Herd teammates, Lauren, actually came along to Kona as support crew – we met through Zwift and were teammates for ZRL, and discovered that we only lived about 30 minutes apart. Having her there experiencing Kona during race week was super cool, especially knowing how much Zwift racing had contributed to building the bike strength I needed to even qualify for that race! 

Inside racing experience… it was probably my first ever Zwift race, funny enough! It was something I just jumped into, hoping I could figure it out as I went. I didn’t know what to expect, didn’t know anything about race tactics, and absolutely turned myself inside out just trying to stick with the pack. When the race was over I thought to myself “that was so fun, when’s the next one?” That’s pretty much the same way I feel after most races!

What is your favourite food to eat post race? I’m from California and we have no shortage of good breakfast burritos here! Anything with potatoes, eggs, and a little rice and guacamole will hit the spot. 

What advice would you give to a woman entering her first Zwift race? Everyone starts out as a beginner – try not to be too nervous, and know that you’ll improve the more often you race. If you’re comfortable with saying hi and chatting in the pen, do it! 

Any upcoming race you are looking forward to? The rest of 2024 is going to be local. I’m doing a couple sprint tri races, including my first gravel triathlon – plus of course looking forward to the new season of ZRL and Iceni!

Hometown: Blois, France 

How did you get into cycling? Following an injury while running, my partner introduced me to Zwift for rehabilitation. I was able to resume competition through the Zwift Grand Prix, the French Cup, and the women’s races… I regained a taste for training and team spirit.

How many years have you been racing on Zwift? I have been on Zwift since August 2023.

Are you part of a Virtual team? I race with the French team Hexagone.

What is your favourite style of race (e.g. points, scratch, iTT, TTT, Chase, duathlon)?  I like difficult races with a scratch finish because I have a light and endurance profile.

What is your favourite Zwift women’s race series? I love doing the tiny races on Saturday morning. I liked participating in Zwift Grand Prix, because the ranking was high and I am competitive!

What is your most memorable racing experience, inside or outside or BOTH? The most memorable race I did was the Zwift Alps for a Zwift Grand Prix. I started last and I reached the top 20, it was a really extraordinary.

What is your favourite food to eat post race? Unfortunately, I don’t have a favourite post-race meal because I often can’t eat anything. I just quickly jump into a hot shower.

What advice would you give to a woman entering her first Zwift race? Just one word: have fun! Discover the maps and start fun rides like Tour of Watopia, and if you are competitive, take part in races and you will quickly become addicted.

Hometown: Newark, Nottinghamshire, UK

How did you get into cycling? When I was a child, family holidays often involved mountain biking trips. I then joined a local cycling club when I was 16 and started doing time trials and road racing. I enjoyed it so much I road raced most summers for the next 20 years!  

How many years have you been racing on Zwift? I started racing on Zwift at the end of 2020, so almost 4 years now.

Are you part of a virtual team? I race for the CRYO RDT.

What do you love most about racing? I love to push my body and try to get the most out of myself during racing. I also really like the fact that it is such a great escape from any other stresses or worries. Racing requires so much concentration that you forget everything else for that period of time. And the feeling of satisfaction when you get a great result is hard to beat!

What is your favourite style of race? I enjoy quite rolling, longer distance attritional races. I prefer the scratch race format too.

What is your favourite Zwift women’s series? My favourite women’s races are the Zwift Racing League women’s ones. They always have a good selection of courses and formats to make it exciting and give all the different types of riders a chance.

What is your most memorable racing experience? I was fortunate enough to race at the Olympic Esports Series finals in Singapore last summer. This was an incredible experience racing in front of a big audience against some of the world’s strongest women. The mixed team format and short races made it very exciting racing, and it was fantastic to meet some of the other riders in real life, too.

What is your favourite food to eat post race? A post-ride pizza is always a favourite!

What advice would you give to a woman entering her first Zwift race? Try to have a ride around the course before the race. It’s always really helpful to know where the key climbs and sprints are and sections of changing gradient so that you can measure your effort and be ready for any attacks there. Also, don’t forget to use the powerups and think carefully about where to use them!

Hometown: Epsom, Surrey 

How did you get into cycling? I was an injured runner when the London 2012 Olympics was on and I live 20 minutes from Box Hill. I had a bike for commuting and rode out to watch the Olympic road race, thought it looked more fun than keeping fit in the gym, and started doing ‘Olympic loops’ regularly then joined the local cycling club and got hooked. I started racing in 2016 as it took a while to build my confidence.

How many years have you been racing on Zwift? I joined in lockdown in March 2020, so have now been on the platform 4 years.

Are you part of a Virtual team? I currently race for Coalition and Coalition Alpha. 

What do you love most about racing? The team camaraderie. That’s definitely the main reason I race. 

What is your favourite style of race (e.g. points, scratch, iTT, TTT, Chase, duathlon)?  Races with repeated hills. Big Foot Hills and Surrey Hills are my favourite courses. I also like races where you can deploy team tactics. TTTs are always great fun, too. 

What is your favourite Zwift women’s race series? The WTRL Vienna TTT league. I love the camaraderie and friendships it builds.

What is your most memorable racing experience, inside or outside or BOTH? Inside has to be the Esports Olympic event in Singapore last year. Racing on that stage in front of large crowds and with your teammates by your side was awesome. Outside it’s racing the women’s tour in 2021. Rubbing shoulders with the likes of Lizzie Deignan and Demi Vollering for a week was a dream come true. Get me talking about either event and you can’t quell my happiness. 

What is your favourite food to eat post race? I often end up craving vegetables after a race. I need a contrast to the sweetness of gels and energy chews!

What advice would you give to a woman entering her first Zwift race? The start is the hardest part of the race. I did not know people sprint out the gates and got left behind in my first race – oops! I think also that learning how to race on Zwift takes time and joining a team is the best way to get tips on that, and make great friends. 

Any upcoming race you are looking forward to? I’m currently racing the Zwift World Series. The courses are great but I’m finding it pretty tough to balance around work and have had to lower my expectations with respect to results. Several of the women racing now ride full-time and are so incredibly strong.  Thursday evening is definitely my most exhausted point of the week! The races are good targets to provide structure to training over winter though. 

Where can people follow your racing adventures? I’m not great with social media, as being a teacher we’re not meant to have any public profiles. I do have an Instagram account that I try to update with my outdoor racing though, @alicett12.