Introducing Team OGT p/b USE ✨️
What an insane journey it has been but I'm so incredibly excited to introduce you to my new professional cyclo-cross team.
It's a dream come true and I'm so excited to share the next chapter in my journey with you!
A huge thank you to @via_atelier.cc for hosting our launch!
Excited to introduce you to the team:
✨️ @weareogt on the fueling
✨️ @use.components with the best components
✨️ @hunt.road on with the dreamiest wheels
⚙️ @worxuk keeping the bikes clean and all the tools
👠 @lakecyclinguk with the best shoes
🚴♀️ @schwalbetyresuk providing the rubber
🖥 @wahoofitnessofficial on the tech
👕 @bioracer_uk
🪖 @hjcsports with some sweet helmets
💧 @sweatisdata on the hydration
We did it 🥺🎉 My first UCI win
✨️ After so many set backs this season it was such a relief to throw my hands in the air today!
It's been tough lately but today has made it all worth it 🤩. So much has gone into getting my form back for today, so here's a huge thanks to:
✨️@jonah_drake25 for being my rock and dragging me to Belgium to fall in love with racing again
✨️@joshua_hand and @ginabally for believing in me
✨️ @jo.han4779 making the trip from Belgium to be here today
✨️@das_cycling and @callumrileyworks for helping getting me back comfortable and injury free on the bike
✨️ to all the sponsors who make days like this possible!
📸@ginabphoto_cycling
✨️
#cx #cyclocross #cycling #cyclist #bikeracing #cross #womenscycling #wedidit #ridecannondale #ridesupersixevo
Elite Gravel National Champ! ❤️🤍💙
Okay yes you've probably seen because its been spammed all over my story but it happened! I'm so greatful to all the messages I've received the last few hours and all the support from @teamspectraracing , @jonah_drake25 , my parents and my coach @johnholmes_54 🥰 more thanks and race report to come but for now just enjoying the moment
Anyone who knows me will know I love matching kit... so when @hjcsports asked if I wanted a purple helmet to match my Van Rysel bike I couldn't refuse 🥰
Genuinely in love! 💜
Traka 200: Before, during and after 🥵
Swipe to see an accurate reaction to 200km of all out gravel racing!
Always knew this was going to be a tough one, but it's a race I've always wanted to do so thought I'd give it a go! My lack of experience racing gravel showed (despite my previous success in the discipline) and I found myself alone for 75/125 miles which was brutal 🥵 incredibly thankful to find company for the last 25 miles. Having someone else kept me going and rolling at a decent pace for those cruical final few hours. Managed to keep fueling, paced myself and ended up rolling in under 8 hours which was faster than I'd anticipated and a first attempt I'm proud of. No result to shout about but a solid day out!
Maybe I'll have to do a little more gravel 👀
And on that note I'm buzzing to head back to @grallochgravel in a few weeks for a much shorter race! And for a social sportive too! 🥰
Traka 200 - I’m ready for you 🤩
Ready to check the Traka off my bucket list of races and to see what I can do!
Decided on the 200km for a challenge but one that’s manageable! I’ve been very lucky to have been out here for the last week for some last minute prep and to check out this demanding route!
(Hopefully the South Downs Way was a good pre-race set up/ leg test).
Although truthfully this is the most nervous I’ve been about a bike race since pre-2021. Debated whether to share this pre-race but here we are. I use to suffer with pre-race nerves, often to the point of feeling sick and unable to sleep which often ended with me falling apart on race day. Thankfully since then I’ve matured and learned to redirect my pre-race nerves into more positive energy.
Yet for some reason with the Traka I haven’t been able to shake the nerves. Even though this is quite a low pressure event for me with no expectations of a result, especially as I’ve never raced this distance before, the nerves still linger. Maybe it’s the distance. Maybe it’s the level of the event. Or maybe it’s just that I haven’t raced in a few months? I’ll probably never know but I’m sure once I’m out there it’ll all fall away and I’ll be back to me again! For now, I’m reminding myself to enjoy it, take it in and just see what I can do! Best of luck to everyone else out there tomorrow!
As always grateful to the people and brands making this little life possible ❤️
South Downs Way Bike Check ✨
More details on my set up choices here
Bike: Van Rysel RCX - a cross bike but a solid ride and the handling was perfect. I’ve spent a lot of time this winter on my @van_rysel so it just made sense to stick to it.
Wheels: @hunt.road 30 Carbon Disc - simple and reliable. Also fairly bomb proof! So these are my go to for rough and ready riding
Tyres: 40 mm @schwalbetyresuk G-One Ultra Bites - when running skinny tyres on the down extra tread is your friend and these were perfect. A little grippy but trusty and kept the grip all day
Stem: @use.components VYBE Suspension Stem - adding a little suspension so my arms didn’t take all the hits over 100 miles
Lights: @exposure.lights Joystick and Boost combo - better to be safe then sorry
Extras: I ran a top tube bag on this trip for extra snack room but found it held me back from getting out the saddle so I’ll likely be swapping for a frame bag in future. I also ran a hydration pack without the bladder to carry my spares and take the weight off my lower back. It also provided room for extra snacks (such as cake!)
Fuelled by OGT all day long as always - with the reliable OGT bars and something exciting 👀
The South Downs Way 🤩
9 Hours 10 minutes, 100 miles, 3900 meters
What a ride! And what a day to do it.
☔️We started in the rain at Winchester
🤩 Had a lot of fun for the first few miles⛰️And then we started climbing 🥵Thankfully we had our first stop at QE Park which was also a relief as I then knew that the next 40 miles were familiar. It’s still a little crazy to me the Downs are on my doorstep.
We were joined by friends out on course so thank you Teddy, Steve, Steve and Connor for motivating us through.
Somehow we all made it up Amberley mound which is certainly the toughest climb on route!
We were told many many many times the 2nd half would be the hardest but thankfully it wasn’t as bad as we’d prepared for and the views were stunning!
Despite a little fatigue in the final hour, we managed to pace ourselves and ended in fairly high spirits!
I absolutely loved it and it’s given me confidence for some longer races coming up! Although to anyone attempting it I’d recommend at least a 1 to 1 ratio because a 10-36 cassette was not the one!
Thank you to Jonah and Elise for the company! Until next time.
Some extra stats:
💧4 Bottles filled
🟨 10 @weareogt bars eaten
0️⃣ 0 Cafe stops (crazy I know)
If there’s anything I missed, let me know! (Bike set up to come!)
Back at the end of the cross season I set myself the goal of riding the South Downs Way before next cross season... turns out I'm giving that goal a go much sooner than expected.
Tomorrow, alongside @elise_sherwell and @jonah_drake25 , I'll be tackling the 100 miles off road route.
The aim is to enjoy the ride, take in the views and practice big old rides ready for some more challenges later this year!
I'll be sharing updates throughout the day so keep your eyes out! Wish us luck!
📸 @weareogt
✨️Bike Check for this year's @battleonthebeach
( Swipe to the end for a lack of skills)
Here's my bike set up that I ran for this years edition:
🚲 @van_rysel l RCX
⚙️ @use.components Race Stem, Summit bars and Duro Seat Post
✨️@hunt.road 40 Limitless Gravel Aero UD
✨️@schwalbetyresuk G-One RS 45 mm front/ 40 rear
⛽️@weareogt to fuel the riding
⛱️ Decided to run my cx bike on the Beach year. Hot take for sure, but personally coming from a cross bike I prefer to have the sharp handling for the sand dunes and single tracks
Feel free to fire away any set up related questions below! 👋
Big thanks @honorelliott for the shots 📸❤️
🏜️Battle on the Beach // Battle in the Dark 🌙
What a shock to the system that was for the first race post off-season. Lining up with 1000 for a smash out along the beach was spicy🥵
Managed to come away with 2nd place in both Battle in the Dark and Battke in the Beach behind a flying @vicious_peg but more importantly had a great weekend with the @use.components team and loved chatting to everyone about my CX season and my @van_rysel bikes and set up!
Another huge thanks to @grant.l.wildman and @schwalbetyresuk for getting me set up for the weekend! ✨️
✨️The 2025/26 Cyclo-cross Season✨️
Before we start the new season and I switch things up a bit here, I have to wrap up on the cross season. I asked myself why this has taken so long? The conclusion I came to was that I'm done with last season.
When I look back, on first reflection it feels like my most consistent season. Yet that consistency felt like it lacked a stand out result. Everything felt good, yet nothing felt great.
But the truth is that it was an incredible year full of insane moments.
- A year in the National stripes
- Launching my own team
- Racing in my own kit
- 2 Race Wins
- Multiple International Podiums
- Racing the full World Cup Series (almost)
- Some of my best World Cup Results
- A 2nd Place at Nationals
- Super consistent results all season
But whilst this year made me who I am, it also broke me a little.
In a 6 month season, I only spent 2 months without injury or illness and that made the year super tough mentally.
I love this sport and being on the start line is a win. Every time I line up, I'm grateful for that moment. And for the team that have got me to that start line.
And in this love for the sport I found myself in an endless loop of hurt. It hurt if I missed a race, it hurt if I couldn't race at my best. I was also forever in fear that if I missed a race, my ranking would slip and I'd no longer be able to race the World Cup series. Truthfully I had myself in a very toxic state for most of the season. So if I change one thing next season, it's that I want to rest harder than I race. I want to be able to step away for longer and sooner when I need to which is tough as someone who loves this sport, but I know long term it'll make me a better rider.
For now please enjoy this scrapbook of the 2025/26 season and what an honour it is to remember these moments.
I cannot wait to take the learnings from this year into next year and I'm excited to make next year bigger and better. With a World Cup here in the UK to look forward to it's incredibly exciting times for British Cyclo-cross!
A huge thank you to @jonah_drake25 and Tash who supported me throughout the season across Europe and made the year what it is ✨️
