The Coronavirus outbreak has put a stop to members getting together for social rides, taking advantage of the outstanding routes in all directions.
Instead, the quick-thinking club has set up rides for its members on Zwift – an indoor training app which enables you to train and compete from your own home. Welsh Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas is also putting in the miles via the online platform.
Willi Moore explains:
“We have been encouraging people to be responsible and follow the socially distancing guidelines. A couple of our members have set up several meet ups on Zwift which allows our riders to keep active and healthy. It is also a good way for people to keep in touch with each other.”
Moore – who is 73 – gave up racing a few years ago and says that the club’s focus is heavily weighted towards fitness and social:
“We have an older demographic with the average age of 53 years old. We ride every Saturday and enjoy heading out towards Anglesey, Prestatyn or Betws y Coed. We are spoilt for choice for routes around here. But obviously that all had to stop.
“At this time of year, we would usually be preparing for a 10-mile time trial and the club would be busy marshalling, timing and of course racing. But we are still managing to do the time trial – we will just do it online instead.”
The club is also proving that it is much more than just a sports club:
“We’ve always been much more than just the cycling. We are all in this together and as a club we are looking out for each other and looking to see how we can help other members with shopping and collecting medicines. But it’s sometimes as simple as picking up the phone. We have members over 70, like me, who need to be extra careful and they might be at home on their own. So it is important we do what we can to tackle loneliness.”
Welsh Cycling Chief Executive Anne Adams King explains:
“Cycling clubs across Wales play a huge role in keeping the nation fit and healthy in a mental as well as a physical sense. We know that riders will be missing the social elements of heading out on a big, club ride so it is brilliant to see clubs like Rhos on Sea adapting quickly.”
Rhos on Sea Cycling Club has more than 100 members. Find out more at www.rhoscycling.com
For more information, please contact Jane Thomas on 07967 351 827 or hello@janethomaspr.com
