ŠKODA UK, in partnership with UK cycling legend Dame Sarah Storey, has selected four new female riders to join the ŠKODA DSI Cycling Academy.
‘Originally there were two places in the academy available to aspiring female cyclists, but the standard was so high that Dame Sarah Storey has awarded four riders a place on the programme.’
Maddi Aldam-Gates (18) from Trowbridge in Wiltshire, Gwyneth Parry (19) from Pontesbury in Shropshire, Lucy Ellomore (18) from Harrogate in Yorkshire and Olivia French (20) from Wilmslow in Cheshire will join Academy Principal, Dame Sarah Storey. They will complete the university-style programme that aims to provide ambitious female cyclists, aged between 17-22, with a route to the elite level of the sport.
More than 100 aspiring female amateur riders applied to join the academy in 2021 by providing details of their cycling experience, ambitions and training schedule. Seventeen riders were then shortlisted to attend the second stage of the selection process, a testing day at the Lee Valley VeloPark in London.
Each of the riders were put through their paces in a series of cycling tests that included a peak power test, a three-minute maximal test and a 12-minute steady state challenge. The riders also completed laps of the outdoor closed circuit to test their physical handling and pacing abilities.
Dame Sarah Storey, Academy Principal, said “The standard of the riders we tested far exceeded my expectations and it was such a tough decision to narrow down the selection.
“Given the talent we saw and the potential within the group we have decided that limiting the selection to just two riders wasn’t enough. ŠKODA is committed to furthering the opportunities for female riders and it’s a testament to their dedication to the sport that we’re expanding the intake this year.
“I’d like to thank everyone who attended the selection day and gave it their all. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, it was clear that these young women have stayed super fit and incredibly focused, and they should all be proud of how they performed.”
The academy programme will provide each rider with the opportunity to experience the life of a professional rider, covering the performance, nutrition and media profile required to be a modern-day pro-cyclist.
The 2021 schedule offers the chance to race in the Women’s National Road and Circuit Series and attend ŠKODA sponsored events, which include the Women’s Tour and the Tour Series.
The four new riders will join four existing senior academy riders who joined in 2019. Morgan Newberry, Rebecca Richards, Megan Dickerson and Meredith Gilbert are starting the final year of their academy experience and hope to graduate at the end of 2021 by joining a professional cycling team.
ŠKODA started life as a bicycle company in 1895 and the brand continues to honour its heritage. In tandem with its headline sponsorship of key events in the cycling calendar, ŠKODA is championing gender equality in the professional tour series.
www.skoda.co.uk/discover/cycling-academy
