Following a fantastic Women’s Tour, British Cycling is delighted to launch #WeRide week (22-28 June 2015), an initiative highlighting the vast range of opportunities available to women who wish to get involved in the sport.
British Cycling’s #WeRide strategy was launched in March 2013 with the target of getting one million more women cycling regularly by 2020. A two year update published earlier this month showed that the strategy is on track with 254,000 more women now cycling, but with work still to be done to reach the one million target.
There are a number of inspirational women already out there working and taking part in the sport and we’ll be highlighting some of those case studies throughout the week.
- Caroline Foreman – Getting more women cycling more often
- Yvonne Mills – Getting more women running the sport
- Rachel Aldred – Campaigning and commuting for safer roads
- Nicky Hawker – Creating opportunities to ride and race
- Marian Lauder/Alex Russell - More women getting involved in governing the sport
- Aileen Brown – Increasing female membership
- Monica Eden – Creating a pathway that keeps women engaged
British Cycling also has a number of activities taking place during #WeRide week for any women looking to take their first steps into the sport, whether someone wants to race, coach, volunteer or get involved in race organisation.
Breeze Network
British Cycling’s Breeze will be providing the biggest number of bike riding opportunities over one single weekend (27 & 28 June). The Big Breeze Bike Ride will see hundreds of women join our army of Breeze champions on bike rides up and down the country. Get involved and find a ride near you here.
Challenge Events & Sportives
Sportives are a great way to get into organised cycling events, giving you the chance to complete a fully supported ride in a relaxed environment. There are a number of events coming up soon.
- The Great Girl-Rilla Ride (28th June, Peterborough) Women only sportive with a 100k or 50k route to choose from.
- White Rose Classic. (28th June, Ilkley) One for those looking for a harder challenge with three hilly routes to choose from.
- Staffordshire Cycling Festival Sportive. (4th July, Staffordshire) The sportive offer both a short or long route option.
- GE Chiltern Cycling Festival. (12th July, Buckinghamshire) Fully supported event with three different route options available.
You can view all upcoming events in our calendar.
Get Into Racing
There are many opportunities to get involved in cycle racing. With six different disciplines within cycling as a sport – there is something for everyone.
The six disciplines available are Road racing, Mountain Biking, Cyclo-cross, BMX, Track and Cycle Speedway. There are various development sessions to help participants learn the individual skills, and cycling clubs around the country offering expertise in the various disciplines.
All races available can be found on the British Cycling events calendar.
Support the sport
If you want to get involved in the sport, but don’t fancy riding yourself there are plenty of opportunities to volunteer. See here for further details of how you can get involved.
Rider Development Sessions
British Cycling’s Go-Ride programme includes Rider Development Sessions which run throughout the year, offering structured coaching opportunities to help riders build confidence and learn new cycling techniques in a relaxed and informal setting. With dedicated sessions for women and girls across the country, riders can develop their skills on mountain bike trails, closed road circuits and velodromes under the expert guidance of a Go-Ride Coach. To get involved, find your nearest session using our Events tool.
Go-Ride Racing
Go-Ride Racing is British Cycling’s entry level competition for young riders under the age of 16. The events provide young people with a chance to experience the thrill of bike racing in a safe and fun environment. And with races throughout the year across all cycling disciplines, we’re sure there will be something for all aspiring racers. Search our Go-Ride Races using our Events tool.
