RIAK Racing

THE PROJECT

Follow our riders as they demonstrate in emphatic fashion that E-racing is for all!

The Mission

The primary mission of the RIAK E-racing team is to develop an avenue to encourage female riders into racing via a route that is devoid of ego, jargon and arbitrary barriers to entry.

E-racing is incredibly accessible for many reasons but primarily because it is so easy to give it a go.  Simply get your trainer set up, sign up to a race and off you go! It can be that simple and if it doesn’t go well, there’s no 2-hour drive home and no risk of crashes. You can simply hop off the bike and think no more about it!

We decided to embark on this project because during COVID we were keen for some of our cyclists and triathletes to try E-racing in order to improve their anaerobic power.  However, we soon discovered that there was a real dearth of women’s races and a distinct lack of competition in the few races there were.  This annoyed us because there was no issue getting our male athletes racing.  So we decided to try and do something about it!

How RIAK are supporting the team

We are providing full coaching support to six carefully chosen riders as they build towards and compete in the winter E-racing season.  We have chose riders whose backgrounds and experience levels we hope will demonstrate that it doesn’t matter who you are or how confident you are, you can have fun and enjoy competition at any level.

Whilst we only have the coaching capacity to support 6 riders full time, anyone can join the team and get racing with our supported riders.  To help, you will see below we have made a cracking 12-week E-racing plan available for free to support any female rider who would like to join us on the startline.

THE RIDERS

Meet the team!

We have chosen our riders carefully to represent a broad spectrum of backgrounds and experience levels.  Amongst experienced riders and racers, we also have riders who have zero E-racing experience and riders who are new to cycling full-stop.

This broad spectrum of abilities, ages and experience levels is exactly what we were looking for in a team and already we have seen how this spectrum of backgrounds can provide a source of inspiration to someone who might not have seen themselves or someone like them represented before.

Gesine

Gesine came to cycling and triathlon later in life but since taking them up, her love for all things swim, bike and run has grown year after year as, 'a way to stay fit, meet friends, travel, feel the wind in my hair, do epic sh*t and eat cake!'

However, when the indoor cycling phenomenon kicked off during COVID, 'coming from a decidedly analogue, pre-millennial generation it baffled' her. She felt intimidated by the techy language and eventually gave up on it as a result.

Gesine is exactly the type of rider we are looking to reach with the RIAK Racing project. A rider with enormous potential (she has a history of placing highly in age-group triathlon), but despite which, that real world confidence hasn't translated to the virtual world because of the perceived hurdles.

As she says, 'what has changed? The RIAK Racing team presents an opportunity to give e-racing another go, in a very supportive community. And most importantly, it’s going to be fun!'

You can follow Gesine via the team's social channels or on her personal social channels:
Instagram: @gesinejunker

Serena

Serena by her own admission is inexperienced when it comes to E-racing and cycling in general, having only taken it up a few years ago. But this is why Serena is such a great addition to the team. She is a fantastic example of someone who might lack experience, but with a little bit of support and some consistent high quality training has developed the confidence to try anything! This includes recently destroying her first Ironman Triathlon and now embarking on a full season of E-racing.

Her progress in the short time she has been working with RIAK has been phenomenal. Whilst she lacks experience, she no longer lacks power!

You can follow Serena via the team's social channels or on her personal social channels:
Instagram: @serenaace333

Chantal

Chantal's background is as a triathlete competing in her first Ironman event this year, which is doubly impressive considering she didn't even own a bike 5-years ago!

She has commented to us that one of the reasons she came to endurance sport later in life is because she didn't see anyone like her competing in cycling or triathlon.

As she says though, 'the world is changing and I see this project as being a great way of raising the profile of women in cycling, in particular e-sports, and having the chance to be part of that is incredibly exciting. Five years on I'm proud to say I'm training for my first IM event and have fallen in love with cycling and really want to show other girls and women what is possible!'

You might not think E-racing is compatible with long-course triathlon but it really can be. As an off-season focus, E-racing is a fantastic and fun way to help develop anaerobic power. Put simply, build that strength, then add in the endurance as the triathlon season nears and you will be in a fantastic position to hit the start line flying.

You can follow Chantal via the team's social channels or one her personal social channels:
Instagram: @thisis_mendes
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Chantal.mendes

Laura

Laura is a former international level javelin thrower with multiple British champs victories and a 4th place in the Commonwealth Games. Her pedigree as an athlete is assured but can she apply that prowess, dedication and talent to E-racing? ...we've seen her numbers and can confirm she absolutely can!

Alongside using her profile to inspire other female athletes into the sport, Laura herself is seeking support and guidance as she hopes 'to bring the training experience of a seasoned athlete and enthusiasm of a novice to the team!'

We think Laura is a fantastic example of someone who is unafraid to take a risk and we hope her story demonstrates that you can be a phenomenal athlete but even so, we all need a bit of help and guidance at times and a community such as that around the RIAK E-racing Team makes no judgments because it is there to help everyone.

You can follow Laura via the team's social channels.

Caroline

Caroline is one of our more experienced riders with a background in Cyclo-cross and some fantastic results at Masters level. She has also won some big E-racing series and it is our hope that Caroline's experience will help our less experienced athletes transition into the E-racing scene and help lead the team.

For Caroline, the motivation is to be part of a team after racing solo for some time as she has loved racing with other female riders in previous E-racing series. She remarked to us recently about previous E-racing team experiences, 'we had never met in-person but worked together to achieve some great results. I would gladly take part again in something similar!'

Caroline is a fantastic source of cycling knowledge and we are excited to have her helping the team and hopefully, continuing her own push for big results.

You can follow Caroline via the team's social channels or on her personal channels:
Instagram: @caroline_b_25
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caroline.reuterbouteiller
Twitter: @creuter2575

Wendy

Probably the team's most experienced E-racer, Wendy is one of our team leaders and a rider keen to share her knowledge and experience with others.

Her motivation:
'I think what I can bring to the team is my own experience as a way to support others to hopefully inspire and motivate women to enjoy racing and to grow as a rider while doing that. It can be scary on the start line with a bunch of boys. It would be great for other women to see the Riak girls out there doing it, and think 'wow maybe I can do that too', and be inspired to give it a go.'

We are really glad to have Wendy on the team and look forward to seeing her help guide our less experienced riders whilst hopefully pick up some top results for herself!

You can follow Wendy via the team's social channels or her personal social channels:
Instagram: @norseandsouth
Strava: Wendy (WonderWheels) Gallagher

THE 2023/23 SEASON

Total domination!

Our goals for the season were humble. Figure our what was what, have fun and hopefully demonstrate that E-racing is super inclusive and it didn’t matter what your experience or fitness level was.

We could not be more proud of the team in their inaugural E-racing season. They have absolutely dominated the standings in the two series we have competed in on WahooRGT.

And planning has already started for the E-racing season 23/24 with some seriously cool projects to unveil in due course!

The Women’s Super Cup

26 – 28 January 2024

We are working with The Online Events Company to create the preeminent women’s e-racing event.  The Women’s Super Cup is a festival of e-racing to be held in January 2024 and will feature a broad array of races that should provide a level of competition whatever a rider’s level.

TOEC are organising the event primarily in collaboration with British amateur cycling and triathlon clubs.  RIAK is a registered cycling and triathlon club itself and therefore, we are offering support to any female rider who is not already affiliated with a British amateur club by encouraging them to join the RIAK Racing team.

Interested? Check out the event page for all the event details and why not then join the RIAK Racing team?!

JOIN US

Be a part of the journey!

Whilst RIAK can only provide coaching support to six riders, that doesn’t mean you can’t be a part of the team!

Joining the team as an uncoached member is simple:

1) Join the RIAK Racing Team Forum on Facebook to be able to communicate with the team;

2) If you don’t already have one, create yourself a WahooRGT account – racing on WahooRGT is FREE; and

3) Don the RIAK avatar kit on WahooRGT.

Our only requirement of course is that you are a female rider!

RIAK Racing Team Forum

OUR SUPPORT FOR YOU

Time to prepare

Everything about our E-racing project is intended to be inclusive.  That is why we have made our beginner’s 12-week E-racing plan available for FREE!

All we ask in return is that once you have downloaded the plan, you tag the team in any social media posts regarding your training..

To download and use the plan, you will need:

1) a Training Peaks account (a free basic account); and

2) a turbo trainer which is either a smart trainer/bike or a basic trainer with a power meter on your bike.

TRAINING RESOURCES


PARTNERS


THE ONLINE EVENTS COMPANY

The real world made virtual, epic events and challenges for discounts!

WAHOORGT

#RIDEFREE and join us for our weekly workout on the world’s most realistic indoor cycling app and our partner training platform.

SUNDRIED

Quality, eco-friendly and affordable sports apparel.

Use code 'RIAK426J' for 30% off your next purchase.

TOTAL ENDURANCE NUTRITION

Quality nutrition coaching and consultancy for all levels and types of endurance athlete.

SERRE DES ORMES

Cycling, running and hiking holidays in the heart of the Meouge Valley, Provence.

EIGHTY20 COFFEE

Premium cold brew and coffee specialists.

Use code 'RIAK15' for 15% off!