Ride Like a Girl Magazine

Issue 1 August 2015

'I started cycling in my 50s, and I have never felt better!'

Our Team of the Month Meet Team Mule Bar Girl Plus...

Rou t e: Cycling in the Yorkshire Dales

Magazine

Aviva Womens Tour coverage Is your road position safe?

Joan Of Ar c - Introducing Rwanda's Rising Star

What bothers you about cycling retail A

Gi r l s At M oel f r e Find out what happened when the ladies took over the trails.

Stories from Real People, competitions, Events, Routes, Travel, Food and the rest!

Welcome to the first ever issue of

ABOUT Ride like a Girl Magazine is the only magazine dedicated to women's cycling in the UK. Our aim is to help encourage more women to get out and about on two wheels, whilst celebrating all the amazing things that you have been doing, all over the country. We want to create a platform that brings women's cycling communities together by sharing and showcasing all that the cycling world has to offer.

Our cont ribut ors Alison Salthouse Lucy Sturgess

It is with great pleasure that we are introducing our first issue of Ride Like Girl Magazine. We have had so much amazing support from all of our lovely followers. We would like to send out our huge thanks to everyone who has helped us and contributed to this first issue.

Katie Sturgess Lucy Bulkeley

Layla -Editor

Team Rwanda Team Mule Bar Girl Leicester Women's Velo Robert Thorpe Holly Seear Jo Greenfield Tickhill Grand Prix

If you're wondering what's with all the random snapshots dotted throughout the magazine, where have you been?! We ran the competition of a life time, to feature as the cover girl for our first ever issue. The entries were so amazing we just had to showcase some of the rest. You can see all of the entries by visiting our website. www.ridelikeagirlmagazine.co.uk

Beth and Grace

By Steve Walton

Mea Cleathero Izzy Pope Natasha Martin, 5

Evie Dickeson By James Phillips

Cont ent s: I took up cycling in my 50's and now I am racing!

Aviva Women's Tour Girls take over the mountain bike trails at Moelfre

Saf et y How Saf e is Cycling?

How to be seen by drivers Feat ure - Cycle Alert

Joan Of Arc - Rwanda's rising star.

The Tickhill Grand Prix Media partners, proudly supporting women's cycling

Regul ars Cl ub of t he mont h - Leicester Women's Velo Team of t he Mont h - Team Mule Bar Girl Rout es: Cycling in the Yorkshire Dales Travel : Drift Riding in Morzine Food: In ride and recovery ideas Event s: Find out what is going on in your area

Without action, 60% of men, 50% of women and 25% of children will be obese by 2050 in the UK

Front cover competition A huge well done to Amelia Taylor, who won our front cover photo competition, with her entry, taken by Jenny Nuttall.

"We need a more positive attitude to girls cycling. In May I did a road race where all of the women were ignored. None of us had our names called out or got called up to get on the podium, or even given flowers, like the boys did. We were told, 'We don't have time for that, your cheques will be in the post if you got a podium spot'. So we ignored them and got up on the podium anyway, because we had worked really hard to get there!" - Lauren Higham, 13.

The RLAG girls, shooting for Issue 2

'Hear, hear!' Thanks for sending this in Lauren, and well done for taking your rightful places on the podium!

Where are you riding? send us your pics of where you have been riding this summer and we'll put our favourites in the mag.

In 2013, males (of all ages) made over three times as many cycle trips as females (22 to 7) (NTS 0601)

Down But Not Out !

Our Editor took a rather spectacular flip over the handlebars recently, riding at Dalby Forest. She suffered a couple cracked ribs, a twisted Sacroilliac joint and a few bumps and scratches.

Nothing that can't be fixed, and she'll be riding again in no time. It also inspired this feature, so silver lining etc (don't worry, the bike was fine!)

We had t o f ol l ow up on t his compet it ion ent ry, of Sam Newns, 41 weeks

' Happy t o report t hat baby Fabl e Hope arrived t he day af t er t he phot o was t aken and t hat Sam shoul d be back on a bike soon'.- Luke Newns.

Nothing like starting them young.

pregnant ...

Join t he ride

We can't stop accidents from happening, but we CAN opt to have a PMA (Positive Mental Attitude), when injury strikes. Let's just keep We set up our own club on Strava, and according to the data, you ladies are awesome! happy and keep pedalling!

in just 2 weeks you cycled a total of

11,395.8 miles. That's roughly the distance of

London to Shanghai and back again!

You also rode 580 times collectively. Well done.

To join the ride just add our club on Strava.

Strava.com/ ridelikeagirlmag

Bikebiz Women of the Year Awards Well done to Kate Malcolm for sending this one in. Checkout that toothless grin! Nothing makes a girl more RAD than stopping for a quick picture before heading to A & E. You win a RLG frame sticker!

You can win too. Just send us your pics!

Well done to Isla Rowntree who took away the Woman of the Year this month.

A huge well done to everyone who was nominated for an award. It was great to meet so many lovely and passionate ladies at the event.

In 2013, almost a third of children aged 2-15 were classed as either overweight or obese

Cheryl Whitely. By Cubby Andrewman

The Crankettes. By Ben Lonsdale Beth Orchard. By Steve Walton

Bryony Catlow

Cheryl Williams

I started cyclingin my 50s Alison Salthouse shows us that you are never too old to have a go and it really is the taking part that counts.

2 years ago I wrot e in my diary, ?cycl ing af t er a 40 year break is haaard? .. no pain, no gain! I WILL do it !?

Somet imes t hat seems l ike a l if et ime ago? ot her t imes it f eel s l ike yest erday.

November 2012 and having passed my 53rd birthday I decided the time had come to try and get a bit fitter to avoid becoming a ?couch potato?! I bought my first bike since my teens ? a flat bar. With the aim of riding the 6 miles to work and back. Easy enough January 2013 saw my first ride ( yes, I know, I?d had the bike 3 months, But it was winter!)

Half an hour later and in I staggered. I?d got precisely half a mile, ran out of breath and then ridden home exhausted. I was both shocked and appalled, but determined that this couldn?t continue.

Fast track to December 2014. The end of my first season of sportives, club rides and even a Time Trial. My Strava showed 1761 miles ridden in theyear and 56,169ft of climbing on 3 bikes ? the trusty flat bar, a carbon road bike and a 650b hardtail Mountain bike.

I?m now a member of a great cycling fraternity in Shropshire where I live. I have lots of riding buddies covering every situation from social riding the local cycle paths, mountain biking the local trails, club rides with Newport Cycling Club and the odd TT ride on my roadie ? the love of my life. My rides range from 5 miles off road to a 70 mile sportive and whilst I can?t put the clock back and discover cycling earlier in my life ? I can grasp it by the neck now it has taken me by surprise in my mid 50s.

I st art ed t o t hink, 'Why not ?

I coul d have a go, coul dn't i?'

Between Christmas and New Year, one of my cycling buddies was chatting bikes with me. She was trying to talk me into getting a racing licence, but I laughed ? ?I had all the excuses ? I?m 55, I?m fat, I?m unfit, I?m slow, and I?m not competitive and I?ve only been riding 2 years. I stand no chance of winning.?

However, I started to think ? ?why not? I could have a go, couldn?t I? Before I knew it I?d signed up for the licence and also a 4 week circuit racing series. No going back now!

I?d ridden one 10 mile time trial over the summer of 2014 but had never ridden on a circuit or been in a race with other riders. What had I done?!

I got the chance to attend a training session. I nervously reached the track. It was dark and freezing cold (early January) Most of the other riders were young enough to be my children. Some nearly young enough to be my grandchildren. I realised pretty quickly I was out of my league. They were all fitter and faster and I was unable to keep up with them, even for one lap. I was ?racing?on my own. BUT, I found that I loved the adrenaline rush of racing as fast as I could round the track. The hairpin bends, the lack of traffic? it was fast! I was looking forward to the race 9 days later.

Stourport training in January

Race day arrived. On the cold and frosty January morning I loaded my bike up and off I set to Stourport. I signed on, got my race number and timing chip and attached them, ready to go. I was now getting nervous. Fewer than 20 women had signed up (much less than in the men?s races).

All the other ladies were so friendly and encouraging. I knew it was going to be ok.

'I enjoyed just t aking part '

Before I knew it we were off. 35 minutes then 5 laps. It was so hard. It was cold and windy and I was lapped after just 5 minutes. I came last.

Whilst I?d expected it, I still felt disappointed.

Had I shown myself up? Was I wrong to ?have a go?? Had I annoyed the other riders or got in their way? Well the answer came in the smiles, encouraging words and slaps on the back I received from both organisers and fellow riders.

The sense of achievement I felt was brilliant! The photos showed my smiling face and the Mamil Cycling group loved my ?have a go?attitude.

They said ?see you next week then??

The next 3 Saturdays saw me make the same trip to the circuit, go through the same process.

Signing on, ride the circuit, still come last.

However, it also saw me increasing in confidence, learning about riding fast around corners and I enjoyed just ?taking part?.

'I got l apped af t er just 5 minut es, and I came l ast .'

After the last race I was presented with a special prize for my steely determination. For riding all 4 weeks with a smile on my face and because (apparently) I?d encouraged other women to feel they may have a go at future races. I?d provided a view that it was ok to take part ? despite not being a racer or not ticking all the boxes people may feel they needed to tick to ?qualify?to ride. I?d championed the ?normal? ?average?woman and additionally re-inforced that you are never too old (or fat!) to take part.

By Alison Salthouse Photos courtesy of Nick Jeggo, Mamil Cycling, Alison Salthouse and Gareth Evans

Safety

How safe is cycling really?

Have you ever wondered just how saf e cycl ing is?

Here at Ride Like a Girl we t ake cycl ing saf et y very seriousl y.

If saf et y concerns are t he main issue t hat you don't ride regul arl y, we t hink you wil l be surprised wit h some of t hese st at ist ics.

'One cyclist is killed on Britain?s roads for every 27 million miles travelled by cycle - the equivalent to over 1,000 times around the world'

You are more l ikel y t o be injured in an hour of gardening t han in an hour of cycl ing

In England, physical inactivity causes around 37,000 preventable premature deaths amongst people aged 40-79 per year (Surely that makes it more dangerous NOT to ride your bike...?)

According t o a paper t hat l ooked at sport s injuries, t ennis is riskier t han ?out door cycl ing?(5 injuries per 1,000 hours f or t ennis, 3.5 f or cycl ing). ?Rowing machine exercise?came in at 6 injuries per 1,000 hours;

'The health benefits of cycling outweigh the injury risks by between 13:1 and 415:1, according to various studies'

Per mile, cyclists are as likely as pedestrians to be killed on the roads

Thank you to CTC for these fascinating statistics.

You can find loads more info and facts by following this link to the CTC website

http:/ / www.ctc.org.uk/ resources/ ctc-cycling-statistics

Interview Her name is Jeanne d?Arc Girubuntu (literally Joan of Arc) and she is from a small town in the Eastern Province of Rwanda.

I ntroducing Rwanda's ver y own

Joan of Arc At 18 she became the Rwandan National Champion beating her competition by almost 10 minutes. Thanks to the support of Team Rwanda and the Team Africa Rising Initiative, she is now currently training at the UCI World Cycling Center in Switzerland, with the dream of becoming Rwanda?s first professional female cyclist.

Ride Like a Girl were lucky enough to get an interview with the rising star, and to find out more about her incredible story.

"My aim is t o go as high as possibl e in t his indust ry, and al so t o use my prof il e t o promot e cycl ing t o my f el l ow young Rwandan women who want t o become cycl ist s"

So t el l us when did you st art cycl ing? And what / who inspired you?

"As much as we need t o encourage more young girl s t o t ake part in cycl ing, we al so need t o educat e t he general publ ic about t he import ance of girl s having equal opport unit y in sport . If a boy can ride a bike, so can a girl !"

I started cycling in 2013 after watching "Tour du Rwanda" in my local area of Nyagatare. It was from there that my love affair with cycling began because I loved what I saw that day! Football was my favourite game before then and I wasn't a bad football player, you know. A colleague called Dianne Uwineza, (wife of Team Rwanda cyclist 2016 Olympic MTB rider, Nathan Byukusenge), introduced me to a local cycling coach called John Rugambwa who became my mentor and introduced me to the sport of cycling. He gave me my first bike, which was a mountain bike.

After spending some time with John, I participated in my first race in Bugesera, Rwanda, sponsored by the Rwandan Cycling Federation. I was awarded my first racing bike as a prize.

After that race I was invited to a training camp with the Team Rwanda national team in Musanze, Rwanda.

Interview Amazing! So did you have support f rom your f amil y and f riends during t hat t ime?

"Yes, I had every support from my parents and friends. They supported me both financially and morally which made a huge difference in my progress. My mum encouraged me to keep going when I found it a bit difficult to deal with exhaustion and the hard training that comes with being a cyclist. I continued training in my hometown and in January this year, I was selected by Team Rwanda and FERWACY (the Rwandan Cycling Federation) to attend a training camp in South Africa to prepare for the African Continental Championships in February. Jean Jacques Henry, a trainer at the UCI World Cycling Center in Switzerland, saw my performance in Pietermartizburg, South Africa and recommended me for the UCI training camp, which I am currently attending."

What do you t hink put s women/ girl s of f f rom t aking up cycl ing in Rwanda?

"The biggest problem for girls/ women to be involved in cycling in Rwanda is the mind-set. Most people, especially girls themselves, don't see cycling, or even sport, as something for them. Parents and communities in general play the biggest part in discouraging girls to see cycling as an activity for them. This has to change. I was lucky because my parents and community in the Eastern province showed different attitudes to what I have experienced in other parts of the country. For example some people in the Northern province don't see cycling as a sport for women - when they see us (girls) riding with the boys they find it funny and not normal! As much as we need to encourage more young girls to take part in cycling we also need to educate general public about the importance of girls having equal opportunity in sport. If a boy can ride a bike so can a girl! "

Have t here been many barriers t hat you have had t o overcome?

"Personally, I didn't have any particular barriers because as I said I had the support of my family and friends. However, things such as accidents and the tough training regime you face while training or competing can sometimes affect your morale, and I can say at times I used to wonder if I had made the right choice to leave my football for cycling! But thanks to the encouragement from Adrien Niyonshuti, who races professionally for MTN Qhubeka and Team Rwanda I decided to stick with my choice and today I don't regret it at all!"

?some peopl e in t he Nort hern province don't see cycl ing as a sport f or women - when t hey see us riding wit h t he boys t hey f ind it f unny and not normal !?

My message to Rwandan women, and maybe to women in UK too, is to challenge their mind-set and embrace the sport of cycling, because it can help them change their lives in many ways. I am speaking from my own experience, as I can say that my life has changed forever since I got involved in the sport of cycling. I am now working hard to become a full timeprofessional cyclist and I won't rest till I achieve this. My aim is to go as high as possible in this industry, and also to use my profile to promote my fellow young Rwandan women who want to become cyclists. I want to send a personal message to my old teammates Jeanette, Ngabire, Niyonsaba, Caddeau and others to keep their morale high and keep working hard.

Last but not least I want to thank FERWACY and Team Rwanda who have done so much to make sure that a woman like me can have opportunitiesto achieve big things. I am forever grateful for having people who really care and invest so much in the promotion of sport for women in Rwanda. With this kind of leadership I am confident that the mind-set issue I mentioned before will be eradicated.

Interview Kimberly Coats is the director of Marketing and logistics for Team Rwanda and also helps with the Ethiopian cycling Federation under the ?Team Africa Rising?Initiative. She started with the program back in 2009 and has been helping it grow since. She added,

?In January of this year we sent her to South Africa for a 4 week training camp at the UCI WCC Africa leading up to the Continental Championships in February in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. We had a slot so we sent her, hoping for the best.?

?5 weeks later, her first time on a TT bike, Jeanne d?Arc raced to a 7th place finish at the Championships only 20 seconds from a podium finish. Unfortunately, the race was a bit disorganized and she made a wrong turn right before the finish costing her about 10-15 seconds. It was an honest mistake of inexperience, but people noticed her performance and she had their attention.?

A few days later she followed it up with a 5th place performance in the Women?s Road Race, only one place out of receiving an Olympic bid.

Keep up to date with Team Rwanda by following them here: www.facebook.com/ TeamRwandaCycling Instagram: @teamrwanda Twitter : @TRwandaCycling (international) / @TeamRwandaUK (UK-focused)

?Cul t ural l y, she is at an age where she woul d be l ooking at marriage and f amil y (having just t urned 20). She is Rwandan women?s opport unit y. She wil l be t he one t o break down barriers f or Af rican women cycl ist s. I coul dn?t t hink of a more f it t ing name.?

Grace Castle, By Steve Walton Jenny Nuttall

Kate Malcolm

Kate Smith

Kaline Ligmanowska, By Shane Millen

MTB

Gi r l s at Moel f r e 2015

By Lucy Bulkeley, pictures by Philip Bulkeley

This is what happens when the girls take over the trails for a weekend.

Last month was the first ?Girls At?event, and for 2015 it was ?Girls At Moelfre.?After coming up with the idea way back at the Red Bull Foxhunt last September, I wanted to create an event that let women go out of their comfort zone and have fun doing it. Months of contacting sponsors, organising things like uplift trailers and promoting the event, I am finally finding myself writing about how it all went.

Arriving at Moelfre on the Friday, it took a good few hours to set up. With the help of my Dad, Simon James, as well as Nic and David from Fridersinc we got the marquee up and a finish area complete. Simon James was a big help with this as he brought everything he used at the 'Gas Downhill Series races', which he ran a few years back. Track poles, tape, podiums, PA system, uplifts signs, and even number boards we could use for the dual slalom race on the Sunday.

MTB

'Thanks for such an epic weekend! Best weekend for a while! Great to meet so many more girls/women riders!' -Abbie

Come Saturday morning more of the girls started to arrive. T-Shirts were handed out to everyone and it was time for the uplift to begin alongside a track walk for some. Many jumped straight on their bikes, but others took a look at the tracks first. Seeing all of the girls so eager to ride was amazing. It made all of the work over the past few months worthwhile. I knew how I wanted the event to go, I was just never sure it would turn out like that in reality. But it did.

MTB As the day progressed with more runs and coaching sessions with Mark from MTB Instruction, it was great to see girls coming down conquering more sections of the track.

There was a mix of girls on the hill from experienced downhill racers to complete beginners. Everyone was helping each other out and lots of new friendships were formed. The result? A great vibe all weekend and happy faces.

Come the afternoon it was time for me to get some runs in and meet more of the girls riding. On my last run I joined in the last MTB Instruction coaching session with my friends Suzy and Anna and another great rider. I always enjoy riding with a group of girls because confidence tends to be contagious! Once one girl in the group tries a new feature, often the other girls are to follow.

'It was an incredible weekend. Perfectly pitched.

You somehow managed to 'organise' 70 odd people to look after themselves, have massive fun, join in, feel part of something and leave with a sense of achievement. I loved that it was about the riding, not just about being girls. Do it again! Would be really happy to support you with it.' ?Louise 'Thank you so much Lucy for arranging this event; I we held an auction with various mountain bike products donated by Simon James. It was another way we could boost had so much fun, the weather was perfect and the amount of money raised for Macmillan Cancer Support. made new biking friends! Can't wait for the next We managed to raise over ÂŁ200 from the auction alone. event.' -Jo

MTB After the auction everyone went back to their tents/ vans for food and to prepare for what would be for many, their first ever race. Having ended up only doing three runs on the uplift, I had excess energy to burn off so I headed up to the Dual Slalom track to see what it was like to ride. Made up of a few berms and small jumps followed by grassy corners it was great fun. Especially the off-camber right-hander at the end, which would make or break some race runs the following day.

So it?s Sunday morning and the girls make their way up to the dual slalom track for some practice. Number boards were handed out, pairs organised and the racing began. We used a knock out system, where the winner of each pair would go back up to race in the next round.

More girls set off from the start line at the sound of David?s air horn and we soon had our top three. One final run against the clock, and on our podium was: 1st ? Claire Jones 2nd ? Fizz Harris 3rd ? May Atkinson Winning not only prizes from Bluegrass, Zimstern and Maloja, but also trophies made by Bits of Bike donated by Fridersinc. And that was the Girls At Moelfre weekend all wrapped up with high spirits, new friendships and fond memories ofalmost 70 girls having fun on bikes.

As for the total raised for Macmillan Cancer support, combined with the money raised via the Just Giving site we managed to raise ÂŁ1240.51.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT OUR WEBSITE NOW

Twitter: @Trail_Diva

Amy Wallace. Photo by Ian Wallace Adrienne Hall, photo by Kirsty Billin

Alison Salthouse. Photo by Caroline Nelson

Amber Charity. Photo by Shane Millen

Ali Brightmore

Road

Aviva Women?s Tour of Britain 2015

By Lucy Sturgess, photo's by Katie Sturgess

Love Velo Lucy www.lovevelolucy.com

Road

June 17-21 st 2015 marked the second Aviva Women?s Tour of Britain, an event to put the UK on the map for women?s cycling. We may not have mountain passes in the UK, but the tour offered routes with sprints, rolling hills and some technical finishes. The five days of racing took in a total of 596km, which was well documented with highlights on television each day and online live feed throughout the races. That, combined with a world class field of athletes meant for a well-supported stage race.

Road

I was lucky enough to be able to follow the tour on stage five, which started on a lovely sunny day in the beautiful town of Marlow. Arrive prior to the races and you will see the teams being presented on stage and preparing for the races along with some amazing bike eye candy! Stage 5 provided a tough day of racing for tired riders, crossing over the Chiltern Hills to finish in Hemel Hempstead. The atmosphere for the sprint finish was incredible with a lively crowd and a very good turn out from fellow cycling fanatics. As an aspiring road cyclist myself, to be able to see world class female cyclists racing on our roads was a huge highlight.

Watching those female athletes perform allows you to relate to it so much more, you can identify with them and that?s so inspiring.

The Aviva Women?s Tour of Britain has been a brilliant step forward for women?s cycling and I certainly will be there to watch and support again in 2016.

St ages Stage 1 ? Wednesday 17 June: Bury St Edmunds to Aldeburgh ? 110.2km Stage 2 ? Thursday 18 June: Braintree to Clacton ? 138km Stage 3 ? Friday 19 June: Oundle to Kettering ?

138.3km Stage 4 ? Saturday 20 June: Waltham Cross to Stevenage ? 102km Stage 5 ? Sunday 21 June: Marlow to Hemel Hempstead ? 102.6km

Road

Elisa Longo Borghini, Wiggle Honda, warming up for Stage 5 (Above)

Lucy Garner, Liv Planteur, posing for photos with young fans (Above) Cipollini Bike Eye Candy (Right)

Bio Lucy Sturgess is a keen cyclist and blogger for Love Velo , which is a blog covering all aspects of women?s cycling. Having first picked up a bike only in June 2014 she is now passionate about promoting the benefits of cycling and encouraging more women to cycle.

To view the photos in higher definition, click here to go to Lucy?s website or download our High definition version for desktop

Lian Higham

Kirsty Atkinson. Photo by Anthony Lacey of Trail Motion MTB Skills

Laura McLaughlin

Lauren Higham

Leanne McDonald

Louise Sheran Rigby.

Photo by MaryJane

Marcia Ellis. Photo by AJ Images Liberty Weymouth Lizanne

Wilmot.

Photo by Chamelon Photography Liz Peacock, by Findra

What are you doing on the 20 September 2015 ? - we would like to suggest, as a Rider, a Spectator or a sponsor, get yourselves down to the YESSS Tickhill Grand Prix.

WHAT WOMEN RIDERS WANT "This is what Women Riders want" was the cri de coeur from several of the leading stalwarts who push and promote Women's Cycling including the Directeur Sportif of top Women's UK and Continental Team Matrix Pro Cycling, Stef Wyman.

Recognising that obvious disparity was affecting the number and level of entries to events, the YESSS Tickhill Grand Prix decided to take the plunge and wager their whole event schedule with not one, but three separate Women only Races - Youth A / B Girls, Women Cat 3/4 and the Women's Elite/1/2.

And what was it that they wanted ? - simply to be treated equally - given a good race distance and most importantly, allowed to race competitively against similar abilities, just like the Men are always offered.

In addition, their commitment to Women's Cycling was laid out when they announced equal (and substantial) Prize Money.

In a nutshell Cat 4 Riders do not want to be Racing alongside Elites and vica versa - and it is a disservice to expect these athletes to be railroaded into a mismatched group.

With Big Screens, live internet streaming, fantastic supportive crowds, top commentary, quality event programme, easy parking and an amazing 1st prize of a ÂŁ2000 Giant Envie Race Bike supplied by Women's Race sponsor Giant Sheffield, the event has gone down as one of the best of 2014.

The result was spectacular, with 133 Women Riders making the journey to Tickhill and relishing in the fantastic atmosphere that only Yorkshire can produce.

Photos Courtesy of Shaun Wilson Photography

For 2015 the YESSS Tickhill Grand Prix has stuck to the same format, and retained Giant Sheffield as E/1/2 sponsor, but has attracted Continental Tyres to support the Women's Cat 3/4 and Hill House School renew their support of the Youth A/B Girls.

YESSS ELECTRICAL are the events' main sponsor and it is their incredible ongoing support that is the backbone of the funding and promotion which has allowed the organisers to act with such bold confidence to Vist the website by clicking here promote Women's Cycling which in tern has attracted www.tickhillgp.com new individual Race sponsors.

Enter the race by

clicking here

g.org.uk/ events/ details/ 119752/ YESSS-Tickhill-Grand-Prix Facebook: / Tickhill-GrandPix

Twitter : @T_VeloGrandPrix

WIN!!! we have 2 VIP ickets up for grabs for the Tickhill Grand Prix. To enter, simply drop us a line telling us about your favourite place to ride. You can click here or send an email to editor@ridelikeagirlmagazine.co.uk

Click HERE to visit our site

Francesca Holland ELizabeth McKinnon

Dolly Bennette

Emily Iris Nevin

Jane Drage. By Oliver Schneck of Berlin

Team of the Month

'The riders al l work f ul l -t ime or have f amil ies and f it cycl ing around everyt hing el se.'

Team Mule Bar Girl-Sigma Sports

Meet

Team Mule Bar Girls- Sigma Sport is a multi discliplinary team of 9 ladies who love riding, racing and having fun. We've got all bases covered on 2 wheels with road, TT, track, Cyclocross MTB, BMX, triathlons and pedal cars.

'Fast , f earl ess, f un is our st rapl ine' The t eam is made up of : Natalie Creswick Phoebe Sneddon Adel Tyson-Bloor

V Kujzac

Rebecca Charlton Anna Glowinski

Diane Lee

Niki Kovacs Maxine Filby

Team Mul e Bar Girl - Sigma Sport s are sponsored by: MuleBar Sigma Sport

Oakley Velopac

Cannondale

Laser Helmets

Wildoo

Rubena Tyres

Phoebe Sneddon Phoebe is a paediatric doctor working in the neonatal department of a hospital and is an inspiration for all of us who try to fit in cycling with a full time job. Her role means she has two full time jobs and yet she still finds time to train and race. She focuses on cyclocross and is getting better and better. She'll be one to watch this coming season.

Photos courtesy of Team Mule Bar Girl-Sigma Sports

Team of the Month

Nat al ie Creswick I started racing bikes in 2009 after a couple of successful triathlon seasons doing Olympic and 70.3. I began with Twickenham CC. In 2011 I signed with a UCI team, Abus Nutrixxion which I was so excited about, but after a great start I herniated a disc in my back and had to return home for 6 months off the bike.

I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to race again but MuleBar Girls (as we were known at the time) took a punt on asking me to join their team and I'm so glad I did. I've had such a fun four seasons with them and have some fantastic friends. Last June I sadly herniated the disc again in my back, meaning another 6 months off the bike. This year has taken a different focus for me as riding on a road bike is where my back is more vulnerable. I've been racing MTB XC instead which I've been absolutely loving. The best bit about riding this new discipline is being asked along to race MTBO (mountain bike orienteering) with Adel by Emily Benham, GB athlete and current European Champion. We are currently out in the Czech Republic racing MTBO for the first time. Trying to grips with racing and reading a map at the same time. The main focus of this year is the World MTBO champs in Czech Republic in August.

I love riding my bike, being outside in nature and having new experiences. Cycling ticks all those boxes and I've visited some amazing countries and met some amazing people doing it.

When I'm not riding a bike I work part time at ChildLine and part time in Education Safeguarding, where I work with schools to make sure their pupils are happy and safe.

?Nat is one t hat seems t o be good at everyt hing. She is one of t he st rongest riders I?ve ridden against and wit h. The ease wit h which she rides a bike is a joy t o wat ch.? - Maxine

Rebecca Charl t on has been racing for the team since the beginning and has been involved in all disciplines of cycling since childhood, entering her first track race at the age of eight. Rebecca is still involved with mule bar sigma sport when she's not working as a television presenter and journalist. ?Rebecca is a great sprint er. A t act ical genius in t erms of t rack and road racing. She can read a race in t he race, or f rom t he side immediat el y. It ?s real l y impressive!?-V

Team of the Month Maxine I'm 34 and live in Oxfordshire. I came to cycling quite late so I've only been riding for about six years. Before that I was an amateur jockey so I enjoy scaring myself regularly. My boyfriend bought me a bike and I got totally addicted to not only the speed but to the people involved in cycling too.

Everyone's passion for pedalling inspired me to push myself harder and do scary things on a mountain bike. I have been fortunate enough to travel the world riding my bike from China to Germany, America to France competing in the UCI XCO World Cup series. I like the feeling of accomplishment when you do a section you?d never even dreamed you could get through. Getting over the fear is the most amazing feeling and I don?t think I?ll ever tire of it. There?s nothing better than hitting the trails with your friends, grinning as you fly down the descents and all grimacing going back up. I also dabble a little in road racing and I got the silver medal at the National Masters Road Race Championships this year. I enjoy doing the town centre circuit races with the big crowds cheering you on. The atmosphere is electric and makes you push yourself that little bit extra.

Adel TB Coming from a triathlon background I rapidly realised cycling was a strength and switched after only my 2nd season racing. In the 4 years since then I have pretty much tried my hand at every discipline gaining masters national titles and world medals on the track and road before my recent ventures into cross country, mountain marathon and most recently MTB orienteering. This year has been a mixed bag of goals which have changed throughout the season due to illness and new opportunities. This season will finish early for me with the world MTBO championships in Liberec, Czech Republic.

Work life takes a similar pattern with multiple jobs from coaching the Triathlon Academy to bikeability instructor, being a rep for Frog Bikes, to working in the village shop. I have a restless personality and I find cycling fulfils my need for adventure, travel and social interaction. I love the cycling community, which never fails amaze me with its camaraderie for fellow cyclists in need.

Team of the Month

Wiesia Kuczaj: (V f or short )

V Lives and breathes cycling, as well as riding for the team she also works as a Digital Art Director and Designer for a cycling based PR company.

V is an ex-gymnast and breakdancer! She found cycling late in life after being persuaded to buy a road bike to commute to work. She quickly fell in love with the sport after moving to London and being taken under the wing by Twickenham Cycling Club. Since then she has never looked back and enjoys riding and racing on the road, track and also dabbling in a wee bit cyclocross.

'I used to be a cycle courier. I Started track as rehabilitation for an injury and fell down the rabbit hole from there.' ?I really love track, and have started enjoying road a fair bit. I?ve potentially got my eye on some track crits...? ?I?m still new in terms of racing. I've only been doing it 2 years, so still experimenting and working out where my strengths and weaknesses are.

Di Lee

?Anna is t he most f earl ess person I know, she has t his incredibl e conf idence on a mount ain bike t hat sees her t ackl e t he scariest jumps and biggest drops. She makes it l ook so easy which it most def iant l y isn?t .

Racing wit h her is so much f un, t here?s al ways an advent ure t o be had.?- Maxine

?I love that there is always something new to learn. A new skill, a new tactic, a new mechanical fix.'

I guess you could say I am a bit of an all rounder. I just love being on my bike. I was originally a swimmer, then I went into triathlon where I had great success at Ironman distance triathlons and 70.3. This really was the start of my love for cycling. Off season from triathlon I took up Cyclocross, which I totally love. Its unpredictable, fast, competitive and hardcore. I love muddy hard races and I?m now competing at National and International level in both Cross and Triathlon. I race XC MTB when I can.

My next venture is the Denmark Exterra Triathlon, which is an off road triathlon. I'm a swimming coach at a local school and local swimming club. My work is flexible so I manage to fix my training in around it.

Keep up to date with the girls on Twitter: @MuleBarGirl_SS

Safety - Road Positioning Hol l y Seear, a Level 3 Brit ish Cycl ing Coach and Nat ional St andards Bikeabil it y Inst ruct or, Gives us some advice on how best t o be seen when riding on t he roads. ?But my parents told me to ride close to the kerb....?

Teaching Bikeability in local schools I hear this all the time and the adults I do Road Confidence Sessions with often have the same fundamental belief that the closer to the kerb they are, the safer they are.

So why shouldn?t you ride close to the kerb? There are lots of minor reasons such as the uneven drain covers that get slippery when wet, the painted yellow lines that are like ice when damp, the debris that gets pushed into the gutters by passing traffic that is highly likely to puncture your tyres and the fact that if you have even the slightest lapse in concentration or a little wobble your pedal or wheel is going to hit the kerb and probably send you flying.

But far more importantly, think about where a driver sits in their car...on the right, near the centre of the road, they are looking ahead most of the time, assuming they are not texting, fiddling with a SatNav, drinking, looking at the kids in the back, lighting a cigarette or changing the radio station and therefore not even looking at the road. Anything on or near the kerb is only in their peripheral vision at the very best. At worst they won?t even see you if you are riding here or if you are only travelling slowly a driver think you are stationary and won?t take into account your forward progress when pulling back in after passing you.

By riding tight to the kerb you actually encourage motorists to drive dangerously, they are likely to think they are able to squeeze past you and remain on the left hand side of the road instead of making a full overtaking manoeuvre as they would if passing another car.

The ideal position for normal riding is about 1 metre from the kerb, this ensures you are in the line of vision for the driver and that to overtake they will have to wait until there is no oncoming traffic and pull over to the right hand side of the road giving you plenty of space. There is of course no guarantee that all drivers will overtake safely and correctly, but by putting yourself in the correct position on the road you will be encouraging this behaviour and keeping yourself safe. Try it.

Holly Seear runs coaching and road safety classes for women. Visit www.springcyclecoaching.co.uk

Rona Strivens. Photo

by Barry Primrose of Roots and Rain

Suzy

Braddick. Photo by Martin Smith

Yvonne Nelson Danielle Tindall

Sparkles Cycles

Your Issues Joy Dutson -Mine is the lack of women's gear in shops, if they do stock women?s clothes it's in pink or turquoise. Would like to see some decent women's wea,r funky not too girly! And small bikes to try without having to wait for a demo day.

Cycl ing Lara @TheBikeLifeLara I ? have no probs with SOME stuff in pink as long as there's choices NOT in pink too.

An Open Letter totheCyclingIndustry From Our Followers

We asked our followers on Twitter and Facebook about their irritations when bike shopping. It seems that there is a theme...

Jane Roberts - My first road bike sold to me was too big as they only had medium in the shop and the shop assistant said yes that's fine for you.

Had a bike fit a year later, told bike was too big for me, then had to have a shorter stem fitted.

Karen Finch I hate that everything is pink or purple.

'what is the most irritating thing about cycling Debbie Irvine - I'm a size 16 and find it really hard to get shorts with a decent cut which fit retail?' and tops which fit my boobs. There is also a very limited supply of anything in shops to try.

Gill Blair clothes not made for ladies with

Jennifer Disney - Frustration at pre-judging me.

Went into three shops in a row looking for road shoes, every single shop asked me if it was for spinning classes!

Tricia Lunn Shorts too tight around the leg.

Elastic always too tight. You buy a bigger size and you can't keep them up. Not all cyclist are trim women or have skinny legs.

BUSOMS!!!!!! grrrrrrrr Sarah ? @IntrepidSarah I think it's the assumption that men want to be fast & women want comfort/ to look good!

Your Issues Fierl an? @FierlanCycling There's so much variation in sizes too- no size 10 is the same!

Pat riciaPedal s? ? @Patsykins_X when size 12 jersey is 'Large' & the largest they do.Cycling girls do have boobs you know?

Sarah Freeman Went into shop with hubby and two young children in tow and assistant told me my Giant fitted perfectly. It didn't. It was too big... but he probably thought I wanted it to ride to the shops.

Lisa ? pazjamo @

I hate being talked to by shop assistants as if I have never ridden a bike before. I had a bike brand new which had a faulty paint job.

Paint came off within 3 weeks.

When I took it back 3 different shopkeepers told me that I was washing it wrong, that I was wearing the wrong shorts which were rubbing the paint off (???) and that it was too big and that's why the paint was coming off. Left the shop disgusted and emailed the manufacturer with photos. They sent me a new frame next day. Nuff said!

Oh and too much pink!

Rebecca Armstrong - My issue is with the cut/ fit of clothes. I'm sure a lot of manufacturers put all the design effort and money into a men's jersey and then just make it a bit smaller (and pinker!) for women. I've got jerseys that are huge across the shoulders and tight across the bust because they're just the wrong shape for women, or with the zip on the 'wrong' way.

Cl are Curt is @icklemare ? expectations on lack of knowledge & assistants 'knowing' what you want

Lucy Sturgess - I think sometimes it?s a lack of awareness in shops. The first bike I was sold was a men?s bike, and it didn't really fit me that well.

Why wasn't I directed to a female specific bike where the fit would have been much better?

pink. Why does everything have to have pink on??

Jen Walsh - Totally agree with all the above comments. For me it's the shorts - can't find decent girls dh shorts that aren't skin tight and super short. End up buying the men's ones but then the fit around the waist and bum is all wrong, arghhh!! And yep, crappy 'girly' colours too !!!

Maureen Hunt Bike frames are just too big for me. I can't touch the ground. Is it really too much to have a bike that's designed for an adult (ie not a child's bike) that someone only 5feet tall can ride?

Claire Odd - Clothing is my biggest issue - we're not all tiny, some of us are larger and have curves. Buying men?s stuff is frustrating as it is too big and too small all at the same time

Jen Walsh - For me it's the shorts can't find decent girls dh shorts that aren't skin tight and super short.. End up buying the men's ones but then the fit around the waist and bum is all wrong, arghhh!! And yep, crappy 'girly' colours too !!!

Too much pink or baby blue. And I need durable shorts that fit over knee pads at a decent length below the knee!! And a good range to choose from?!

Katherine Goodey - it's the clothes that's the issue.. I'm totally fed up with manufacturers and designers who clearly think women sized 14/ 16 don't and couldn't possibly ever ride a bike!!! When women's size XL is actually a size 12/ 14, we have no choice but to turn to ill fitting, men's kit. If you have boobs, getting a women's Jersey which will fit over body armour has been virtually impossible.. Oh, and don't even get me started on body armour

JOIN THE CONVERSATION Join in with our community online Facebook.com/ ridelikeagirlmag Twitter.com/ ridelikegirlmag

Teresa Monks Clothes that aren't designed for the over a size 14 woman!

Claire McCallum - Finding shorts that fit is my pain in the ass (no pun intended).

Granted, I'm not petite, I'm a size 16-18 below with chunky muscly legs, so I end up having to get men's shorts to fit my thighs and that come below my knee, but that are then far to big

Julie Mooney Sizes of clothes! All tiny and no space for boobs. And "girlie " designs of ladies bikes.

Mags Turner - For me it's definitely a clothing issue. I have been mountain biking in all forms for 15 years. I am 5ft 9 tall and a fit, not fat, strong size 16! I have always had to wear guys clothing, because obviously girls who ride bikes are not my size?!? Or that's what it feels like.

Now I know the guys stuff is often smart but sometimes you get fed up shopping in the guys section feeling that you are somehow too big to be a girl! Oh and before anybody may think or say anything, I don't see why girls of a larger size who are fit and healthy and enjoying the outdoors should feel as if they need to reduce their size, no matter what, just to fit into clothes that are meant to be designed for their gender!

Sorry this became a wee bit of a rant but if you can get the message out there then massive kudos to Ride Like A Girl

Megan Harris. Photo

By Marcin Bialas Photography

Roisin Lalley.

Photo by Alan Draffan Photography Michelle Debono

Mary Jane Watson

Natalie Thomas. Photo by Spots GalleryEU

Route

Cycling in The Yorkshire Dales Abbey to Abbey in Coverdale Robert Thorpe

Want to know a secret? Shh! I mean it? keep quiet! I?m about to tell you where the most scenic part of the Yorkshire Dales is for road riding. A lane so quiet that the only traffic you?re likely to meet is the local farmer or the odd shepherd. And as for other cyclists, you?ll very likely have the lane to yourself, even though you?re within throwing distance of Park Rash ? and no, we won?t be Coverdale is one of those tiny dales that splits off the main tourist going up or down that climb today! routes, climbing up the fells , with blankets of meadows that sweep along to tiny hamlets. In terms of history, it has it all, with the ruined Coverham Abbey central to the dale, and Middleham Castle guarding the gateway, just as it did when Richard III lived there.

Ref reshment s & Facil it ies: The tearooms at Jervaulx Abbey are amongst the very best in the Dales - indeed, anywhere. In terms of a stop along the way, we've taken this route into Leyburn, where all manner of options await you. When parking at the tearooms, please try to use the far end of the car park whilst you're away cycling.

This ride starts and finishes at nearby Jervaulx Abbey tearooms, in our book the finest tea rooms in the dales, and a tourist spot in itself, with the sublime ruins of the abbey to explore. The ride rolls along elements of the 2014 Tour de France route, climbs the odd hill or two, before dropping you back at Jervaulx, where Anna and her team will look after the refreshments, providing great cake to load the carbs back .

Route 1. From Jervaulx Abbey, turn left onto the A6108 and ride along the 2014 Tour de France Grand Depart route (in reverse), all the way to Middleham. The road climbs at a steady gradient to East Witton, before bending right, through the village and dropping at speed to Cover Bridge, where it bends left and gradually rises to historic Middleham and the Castle of Richard III. 2. At Middleham, the road dinks right, around the village cross; however, ignore this, instead leaving the A6108 to the junction on the left of the road (in effect straight on), climbing through the village, and exiting towards the famous horse racing 3. This minor lane winds its way down to the River Cover, crossing via a delightful old pack- horse bridge, in a glorious setting that hasn't changed gallops that lead into Coverdale. An initial sharp since medieval times. Once over the bridge, follow the road around to the right climb soon eases off, as you wind and roll along to and climb steadily as the road cuts through Cover- dale, with superb views all Coverham Abbey, where a small chapel now sits.

Take the very minor junction to the left, signed 'West around.

4. At West Scrafton, the road twists and turns its way through the hamlet, Scrafton' and 'Swineside'. before descending back down to the River Cover. Take care here, as the road may well have been re-surfaced with fresh grit, and the twisting nature may catch you out. If taken with respect, the de- scent is superb and very enjoyable.

The prof il e of t he rout e. At 34 mil es it is achievabl e by al l riders.

Middl eham has ampl e accommodat ion choices, and is a great pl ace t o spend a a weekend.

Route 5. Another packhorse bridge takes you back over the River Cover, before the road climbs up to meet the main lane through Coverdale, joining Middleham with Kettlewell. Turn right at this junction and ride into Carlton village. Once through the village, a junction left is signed for 'Melmerby/ Wensley/ Leyburn' - take this and begin the climb to Pen Hill. A mile or so up the road, Melmerby is reached, and a junction left is take, signed for 'West Witton', continuing the climb.

6. Open moorland guides the way to the summit, as the road then descends, crossing a cattle grid and twisting sharply through severe and steep bends, all the way down to West Witton. Take care on this de- scent, as it is steep and very twisting and may catch the over-enthusiastic out. Safely negotiated, West Witton is reached, and the junction with the A684 main road through Wensleydale. Turn right and cycle down at speed to Wensley and the bridge that crosses the river Ure, then climbing up to Leyburn and a break.

7. Leave Leyburn on the A6108 signed to Richmond, climbing towards Bellerby. A half mile out of Leyburn, take the minor junction on the right towards Garriston. This level and straight road allows the opportunity for some head down riding, before crossroads are reached and you turn right, descending to the A684 at Stoop House Farm. Cross the A684 with care, then ride under the railway bridge, before continuing the descent, down to- wards the two rivers of the Ure and the Cover at Ulshaw - but DO NOT cross the rivers?

8. Instead, turn left and take the narrow lane that visits Low Hutton and Thornton Grange, along hedgerows and meadows, to a 'T-junction', where you turn right signed ' Newton Le Willows'. Stay on this quiet lane, ignoring the Newton Le Willows junction when reached, instead taking the next junction right, opposite Cocked Hat Farm, onto Marriform Lane.

9. At the next crossroads, head straight over, signed 'Jervaulx' and stay on this lane until it joins the A6108 once more. Turn right and cycle back along to the tearooms and a well earned rest and some great cake.

pedal north @pedalnorth www.pedalnorth.com

Cycle Alert is a groundbreaking RFID (radio frequency identi cation) safety awar system t unites road users and encourages safer travel on the roads. It comprises of three units: a sensor tted to a bicycle (available FOC), a sensor tted to a vehicle and a dashboard receiver.

The three components communicate notifying a driver when a cyclist is in close proximity.

Cycle Alert Co-Founder Peter Le Masurier says, ?This is a very real safety product that has huge potential to save lives and if one looks closely at what is actually being worked on to prevent cyclist deaths and injuries by HGVs, we are one of only a handful of projects that is actually happening. Cycle Alert technology is proving that it can really add value to the cycle safety mix.? ?With the launch of Cycle Alert, Thompsons has an excellent opportunity to make signi cant breakthroughs in reducing work-related road risk, and is leading the way in embracing second-generation technology in this eld. We think this could be a real game changer for our industry.? ? Scott Burton, Managing Director, Thompson UK (The UKs leading tipper body builder).

Sammi Toop. Photo by Andy Witehouse

Nicola Bagshaw Nicola Spiers. Photo by 2024 Magazine

Pam Greer.Photo by Michael Cr Photograp

Sally Harrington

Need a Holiday?

DRIFT Riding and Diva Decent present ? Girls Bike Coaching Week in Morzine

By Jennifer Gallimore

The movement going on right now encouraging more women int o sport is amazing and it ?s somet hing we?re t rying t o push wit h our brand Drif t Riding t oo.

I started biking around 3 years ago whilst working in Whistler, Canada just after Ryan and I met, and fell in love with the sport. Women over there have created a huge community of supportive riders who egg each other on and it?s so easy to be part of the biking world.

Back in the UK and now Morzine where we are based it?s obvious that the biking world is dominated by male riders. But we know that girls are more than capable of mountain biking (and more than up for it!).

From experience, YES, it ?s a very daunting prospect to throw yourself down a mountain with more experienced riders flying past you and not knowing what is ahead of you. But it?s also a thrill!

Right now I?m working on the start of a movement encouraging more women ? the brave, the bold and the uncontrollably nervous ? into Mountain Biking because, let?s face it, it?s impossible to not look and feel great/ ready to take on the world when padded to the max, covered in mud and riding trails like a boss.

Here at DRIFT Riding we?ve dragged the head honcho, Sarah Muir, from Diva Decent out of biking retirement to collaborate in bringing a girls specific biking week to Morzine. A chance for us to show women that mountain biking isn?t as scary is it might seem, that with expert tips and daily coaching sessions they?ll improve their ride and fall in love with the sport just as I did back in Canada. And selfishly I could do with some more female biking buddies!

DRIFT is now in its 2nd year of operation and the buzz is continuing to build around what we do. From an exclusive offering of the brand new Polygon bike range to the one and only pump track in the area, plus of course a great team, varied accommodation and the wonderful Morzine as a backdrop.

If you would like to be involved in our biking week we?d love to have you on board! Tag us in your photos hashtag # Driftdivas# Diva2015 and # MorzineDiva and Tweet away and get booked up.

Club of the Month

Ride Like a Girl's first

ever Club of the Month

The Breeze initiative played a big role in the formation of the club. Maryam Amatullah and Anita Cheng were Leicester's first Breeze champions in 2011. They realised that with a club, they'd be able to apply for their own funding and could provide a 'next step' for women who'd taken part in Breeze.

The first ride was in May 2014. In the beginning, many of the rides started at Leicester's Clock Tower, whereas now, the rides depart from all four corners of Leicestershire and are between 10 and 50 miles in length. All include a cafe stop ? Their favourite part of the ride!

The club has also tried out track cycling at the Derby Velodrome.

Maryam Amatullah said of the experience, ?It was a great introduction to track cycling, completely exhilarating. Track is very different from the road rides we normally do, but as a club, we were keen to give the new velodrome a try, and we've expressed an interest in more women only sessions in the future. We're an ambitious club, and we can't rule out the fact that we might have the next Victoria Pendleton waiting in the wings! We were also very proud to see our red white and blue jerseys out on the track.?

Leicester Women's Velo is the first female only cycling club in the East Midlands. They are a supportive and friendly club who offer a number of ways to participate. Members can join regular club rides, socials, including trips to major cycling events and members entering sportives and races. Recent rides have included Charnwood Forest, Rutland Water and Bosworth Battlefield.

There are over 50 members, riding weekly throughout the year.

Leicester Women's Velo aims to have 100 members by the Rio Olympics next year.

Club of the Month The club has achieved a lot in a small space of time ? including British Cycling affiliation, a national award for club member Maryam Amatullah in the British Ethnic Diversity Sports Awards, an appearance on Sky Sports and the club being one of the official 'promoters' of the Leicester Castle Classic.

The latest event that Leicester Women's Velo has been involved in is the 'Tribute to Billie' ride.

Billie Fleming has a unique place in cycling folklore - in 1938, she cycled every day and set the women's world record for the greatest distance cycled in a single year. The club organised a bike ride followed by a quiz evening at Leicester's Bike Lounge in 9 July which marked the achievements of the cycling legend who died in May 2014 aged 100.

The event was part of the 'Tribute to Billie' bike ride, where female cyclists across the UK will ride every day during 2015 covering the 29,604 miles that Billie cycled.

The Leicester section of the ride was hosted by Leicester Women's Velo cycling club. The ride took in the sights and Lindsey Bal l , Chair of Leicest er Women's Vel o said, "The sounds of Leicester including Blue Plaques of some of the city's event s have been organised t o honour Bil l e Fl eming, a pioneering suffragettes. t rul y inspirat ional l ady. We hoped t hat t he ride and t he

By Liz Goodman Bike Lounge event woul d inspire more women t o get on For more info on LWV visit: t heir bikes, and join Leicest er Women's Vel o f or a ride."

If you think that your club should be our 'Club of the Month' then drop us line telling us a bit about yourselves.

http:/ / www.leicesterwomensvelo.co.uk/ twitter.com/ LWVelo

WinCC The Women in Cycl ing Coal it ion has recently been set up to tackle the issues preventing women from riding bikes. Our fundamental goal is to increase the number of women participating in the sport by creating and implementing several strategies to help encourage cycling among women and girls.

The coalition aims to have a wide representation from a number of organisations within the cycling industry.

Ride Like a Girl Magazine will be creating an online directory for women?s cycling clubs/ groups/ associations across the UK. The intention of this is to bring together the number of small and large communities out there on to one, easy to access platform.

This will make it easier people to find local events and initiatives to take part in.

Women's specific MTB Coaching day 9th August 2015

If you would like your group/ club/ community to be added to our directory, please get in touch and we can add you to our growing directory.

Chasing Trails are running a ladies only MTB skills training day for our readers.

You get ÂŁ10 off your booking when you enter our unique discount code of Ridelikeagirl10 To book you place, visit their website now

http:/ / www.chasingtrails.com/

Food Make sure you keep yourself fuelled during long rides. Try these easy

Banana and oat cookies Probably the best ?In Ride?snack there is. These cookies are so easy to make and only use 4 ingredients, and will stop you from getting ?Hangry?during long rides.

We usually don?t advise eating sugary snacks, but when you need to refuel your muscles quickly, sometimes a quick surge in blood sugar is just what you need to prevent you from hitting that nasty slump which can quickly turn a great ride into a grim ride.

But don?t worry, these cookies won?t bring your blood sugar crashing down. This is because they contain a good amount of complex carbs (the slow releasing ones). So by the time your sugar hit has passed, the slow releasing carbs will take over and keep you going.

Technique

You are welcome.

Ingredient s 75g Oats 50g dried fruit 2 medium bananas (the riper the better) 1 tbsp Maple syrup or honey

Mash all the ingredients together in a bowl. Once suitably smooshed, split the batch into 4 drops on a baking tray and cook for 12 mins (at 200째c/ 180째 fan oven) or until the cookies are firm but not hard.

The bananas help to keep the cookies moist, preventing your mouth from drying out when you're tackling those climbs.

Food Quick and easy, post ride recovery meal

Mozzarella Chicken Ingredient s Serves 4 Cooking time 25-30 mins Preheat oven to 190/ 375 F/ Gas mark 5

4 large chicken breasts 100g spinach 1 mozzarella ball, sliced Finely chopped black olives Salt and pepper

Met hod Place chicken breasts on a baking tray. Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil and add salt and pepper. Place in the oven for 20 minutes.

While the chicken cooks, place spinach in a colander, and slowly pour boiling water over, until the leaves begin to wilt.

Squeeze the excess water from the spinach and leave to drain.

Serving Suggest ion: Roast some sweet, 'still on the vine' tomatoes and serve with boiled potatoes for a tasty Mediterranean meal

After 20 minutes, remove chicken from oven. Layer spinach, chopped olives and mozzarella slices and return to the oven for around 6-8minutes, until the cheese starts to bubble and turn a golden colour.

Food There is nothing more enjoyable than indulging in a cold, refreshing tipple after riding on a hot summers day (only for grown ups).

RefreshingMint and elderflower Gin 50ml gin Tonic Fresh mint 2 Slices cucumber

Prosecco with a zesty, Ginger and limetwist

Dash of elder flower cordial Mix all the ingredients together with a generous amount of ice and enjoy ? you deserve a treat.

25ml Ginger syrup (found in jars of stem ginger) or ginger liqueur Dash of freshly squeezed lime Prosecco A great way to jazz up this popular summer drink. Simply add the ginger syrup and lime to a champagne flute, and top up with cold Prosecco. Give it a little stir and voila.

Our Crowd funding ends on the 31st July.

Like What you see...?

Ride Like a Girl is currently crowd funding, so that we can grow, remain impartial, organise our own events and get more women moving on two wheels.

Here at RLAG HQ we are just a tiny team who have worked very hard to get this issue out to you.

Our dream is to make the magazine much bigger and better. Jam packed with heaps more features, stories and advice.

If you like what we are about, please check out our crowd funding page. You can pledge as little as ÂŁ2 and all counts towards growing something awesome!

Just so that you know, if we don't hit our target, we will still produce a monthly downloadable issue.

http:/ / www.crowdfunder.co.uk/ ride-like-a-girl-magazine/ Thank you

Event s Sept / Aug Nort h East

Nort h west

9/ 8 - Women's only mtb skills coaching, Chasing Trails, Yorkshire

26/ 9 ? BHF Manchester to Blackpool Night ride

16/ 8 ? Hull Ladies Club, Big Sky ride, 11-3 22/ 8 ? Sportive d?Scarborough. 30 & 50 mile options. Start and finish at Oliver?s Mount

Midl ands

22/ 8 & 23/ 8 ? Scarborough Festival of Cycling

8/ 8 ? Tour de Pines ? Return to Hell ? Sherwood Pines,

by Sherwood Pines MTB group

4/ 9 ? Hull Sunday Girls Road Club charity fundraiser for PAPYRUS- prevention of young suicide

22/ 8 ? North Midlands Time Trial series.org ? 10mile TT Rutland

20/ 9 ? Northern Downhill TT Hamsterley forest. www.northerndownhill.bigcartel.com 20/ 9 ? Tickhill Grand Prix, Tickhill.

Tickhillgp.com

8/ 8 - 206km Benjamin Allens Spring Tonic, Tewksbury. www.aukweb.net/ events

5/ 9 - 206km Mr Pickwick goes to Hay in a Daywww.aukweb.net/ events 12/ 9 ? Audax at Tamworth, Pretty Pigs. 50km,100km and 200km options.Start at 09.30. www.aukweb.net 12/ 9 - 200km Wem We Get There - www.aukweb.net 12/ 9 - 100km Charnwood Challenge www.aukweb.net

Wal es 1/ 8 Vale of EWYAS and the Llantong Show Social ride. 12.00 Meet outside Post office, Abergavanny 6/ 9 ? Abergavany RC Triangular ride. 10-4 meet outside Post Office

12/ 9 - 50km The National Forest 50 50km www.aukweb.net

Event s Sept / Aug Sout h West

Scot l and

6/ 8 ? Beryls Night, Bike workshop at the Broken Spoke in Oxford. 6-9pm 15/ 8 - Cycle Injury prevention, Cycles UK, Essex 23/ 8 ? Girls on Bikes, Bournemouth BMX club 28/ 8 ? Velo City, Bournemouth ?Track cycling course starts for ladies aged 19-25, 6.30pm start 3/ 9 ? Beryls night, bike maintenance workshop at the Broken Spoke in Oxford. 6-9 pm 6/ 9 ? Dorset Rotary Sportive. Various distances available. Start at 07.30, BH20 6HM www.dorset-bike-ride.co.uk 6/ 9 - SWMTB series rd 3 @falmouthbikepark date change to 06/ 09/ 15. Different categories through the day and free coaching session with @dirtbikeschool to build rider confidence prior to racing. Entry on BC events details from simon@dirtbikeschool.co.uk

15-16/ 8 - Scottish Enduro series. Laggan Wolftrax, Laggan 22/ 8 - SXC WOmens MTB coaching.Aviemore 22/ 8 - Whyte Endura King and Queen of the mountains. Peebles 23/ 8 - SXC Round 5 Badaguish, Aviemore. Scottish Championship 5/ 9 - Beveridge Park Cyclocross Grand Pix, Kirkcaldy 25-27/ 9- Glasgow Iona bike ride emms.org to book 27/ 9 - Redbull Foxhunt 27/ 9 - SXC Round 6 Forfar

20/ 9 ? Girls On Bikes, Bournemouth BMX Club Are host ing a charit y night in aid of PAPYRUS Friday 4t h Sept ember

To have your events listed, please email details to events@ridelikeagirlmagazine.co.uk Please include details of what,when and where. Please don't send us links to external pages.

Thankyou

David Lloyd Fitness Centre. HU7 4HS 7pm ? 1am ÂŁ10 per t icket Ticket incl udes ent ry and buf f et For t icket s cont act Cl aire on 07852518467 or email t he cl ub at sundaygirl sroadcl ub.co.uk or message The Sunday Girl s Road Cl ub f acebook page.

Next mont h

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Event s inf o: events@ridelikeagirlmagazine.co.uk

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Advert ising inf o: advertising@ridelikeagirlmagazine.co.uk

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Submissions: editor@ridelikeagirlmagazine.co.uk

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