Cycling with a champion - Lizzie Deignan

So would you like to go on a group ride with the best female road cycling champion of her generation - Lizzie Deignan?? Ah….. yes!

World champion, 43 UCI race wins, first female winner of the Paris Roubaix, 2012 silver Olympic winner plus countless other wins - this woman is an inspiration!! such a brilliant advocate for #womenscycling.

What an amazing morning arranged by Trek Bicester. A ‘social’ ride (quite a bit faster than I’m normally used to!) But we all got a chance to ride with Lizzie and chat to her.

I'd seen Lizzie race before at the Women's Tour of Britain a few years back, just after she won the first women's Paris Roubaix. So to be able to ride with her was an opportunity not to be missed.

Followed by a Q&A, we heard more about her journey into cycling and her plans for professional retirement.

As someone who has been a passionate advocate for women's cycling, meeting Lizzie really was uplifting. She has worked to address gender disparities in women's cycling and make things like maternity leave standard. When asked why she thinks fewer women than men cycle, she said a barrier can be self doubt! I've found this to be true when speaking to so many women and have had those self doubts myself. It 's mad, isn't it. We just need to believe in ourselves and just get out there and ride.

Fab day!! One for the memory books!