5 super-inspiring cyclists you need to know
They break records, they're often on the podium and they have a huge impact on the world of cycling. Despite such achievements, only very few have heard of them. It's time for this to change. In the following article, we present to you five riders you probably don't know, but definitely should. Get acquainted.
BMX
Lara Lessmann
Lara Lessmann has had an incredible journey. She got into BMX when you could count the number of freestyle BMX competitions involving female riders on just one hand – that’s worldwide, by the way. But Lara didn’t let that put her off: travelling with the colourful Flensburger Sportpiraten troupe to competitions all over Germany, she rode with the men – or persuaded the organisers to offer a women's class. The decision to award Olympic medals in Freestyle BMX from 2020 onwards led to a major rethink across the whole BMX scene. Since then – at least in the larger competitions – women have finally been on an equal footing. Shortly after winning the first official German championship in 2019, Lara said: "If BMX hadn't become Olympic, I wouldn't have the chance to travel the world and do what I love". Meanwhile, she’s been training in Berlin's Mellowpark, supported by big sponsors, and this summer’s Olympic Games are rapidly approaching for her. After winning the gold medal at the Youth Olympic Games 2018, Lara stands an excellent chance of finishing on the podium in Tokyo. At least we know who we're rooting for!
Ultra-endurance cycling
Alaska native Lael Wilcox is, simply put, one of the top ultra-endurance cyclists in the world. Her list of achievements include breaking the men’s record for the Baja Divide in 2017 (an unsupported bikepacking race from San Diego to La Paz in Mexico), being the first American to win the Trans Am Bike Race (crossing the USA from the west to east coast – over 7000 km) and finishing in second place at the Navad 1000; a 1000-km mountain biking race with 30,000 metres of climbing across Switzerland. Oh, Lael was also the first woman (and placed second overall) in the 2019 Silk Road Mountain Race, a gruelling 1700 km race through Kyrgyzstan. By her own admission, Lael excels at riding ultra-long distances alone as the solitude helps her focus and maintain her own pace. If you think you have any idea how challenging these rides are, think again. In addition to her achievements on the bike, Lael also co-founded Anchorage GRIT (girls riding into tomorrow), a program that encourages schoolgirls to get into cycling and prepares them for a self-supported overnight bikepacking adventure.
Lael Wilcox
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Road / Cross-country / Cyclocross
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot
[vc_video link="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8EBlC6pJzX/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link" el_aspect="43"]One of the most talented athletes in cycling today, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot has had victory on her mind from the very beginning. She started her racing career by winning the junior UCI world titles for cross-country and road. Then in 2012, she turned professional. By 2014 she was at the absolute peak of her abilities: in 12 months she won three World Championships across three individual disciplines: road cycling, cross-country and cyclocross – all at the age of 23! It was the first time any rider had held all three titles in the same calendar year. But after a series of successes, the following years have been blighted by various health problems. Pauline struggled with allergies and sciatic problems which dashed her chances of winning at the 2016 Olympics. She experienced leg pain caused by an artery problem, which remained undiagnosed for the next two years. Happily, after a complex operation and months of recovery, she was back on the podium in 2019 – winning the cross-country UCI World Championships. Now Ferrand-Prévot has Tokyo Olympic gold in her sights – the only thing missing from her trophy case.
Ultra-endurance cycling
Her trademarks are cut-off jeans, steel-toed boots and a single-speed. She always rides with flat pedals. As a young girl, Alexandera Houchin never dreamed she’d become an athlete, struggling with her weight and sense of self-worth. When her first bike was stolen, she bought another one without noticing it was a fixed-gear. Limited financial resources and the need for a vehicle to get to and from work meant she was stuck with it. Then she discovered long-distance races. Her intro to the sport was Idaho’s Smoke’n’Fire – a 400-mile self-supported mountain bike race where she finished third from last. Today she’s an icon of endurance bike racing. In 2018 she won first place in the Women’s Tour Divide; a 2745-mile ultra-endurance bikepacking race traversing the Rocky Mountains from Banff to New Mexico. In 2019 she defended her title, this time on a single-speed, breaking the woman’s single-speed record. One month later, she was the first woman across the finish line in the Colorado Trail Race (a 500-mile singletrack race from Denver to Durango) once again on her single-gear bicycle. For Alexandera, it’s not only about the race, but the whole experience: “I’m competitive, but I also like to stop and smell the roses” she says.
Alexandera Houchin
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MTB
Rachel Atherton
[vc_video link="https://www.instagram.com/p/B03p80AFMA5/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link" el_aspect="43"]British rider Rachel Atherton is of the most successful figures in mountain biking and has had a colossal impact on the sport. Starting at 11, Rachel has won the downhill world championships an astounding five times and the downhill world cup six times, cementing her position as one of the greatest mountain bikers of all time. Rachel’s winning streak is one of the longest in the history of the sport, winning 14 consecutive world titles. In the course of her already-long career, she’s suffered several serious injuries but has always celebrated spectacular comebacks afterwards. Born in Salisbury, UK, Rachel now lives in Powys, Wales, where Atherton team HQ is also based (Rachel’s brothers are also hugely successful mountain bikers). From here, she’s able to spend as much time in the mountains riding as possible. Despite living around the corner from several of her competitors, Rachel admits she’s “far too competitive” to hang out with them, instead choosing to ride alone. Rachel and her family also found time to launch their own brand, Atherton bikes, in 2019.