IN THE DRIVING SEAT

The last 10, 12 years I spent at Conti level with my former team, Raleigh and then Vitus Pro Cycling, and having to make the decision to close the door on that last year was heart wrenching. It was pretty emotional having to shut the service course down and selling everything. When we made that decision it was almost inevitable. Sponsorship here in the UK was scarce and I just needed to make the right decision, and that’s what led me to believe, early - August or September time - that I could still roll the team into 2021, but I’d need to work. I’d applied for normal jobs as a start, and I wasn’t getting any joy there I was 40 applications in and had not even had two responses, so that was getting me down. That’s why I thought, why can’t I send an email to WorldTour teams? I’ve got nothing to lose. And I did.

It was clear to me that the team was definitely a forwardthinking, diverse team that was looking to the future, not just because I was a female. Kjell made