Rocacorba Collective: Redefining the Indoor Cycling Experience
As part of Women’s History Month, we’re featuring four different women’s clubs with a strong presence on Zwift. Looking to join a women’s club? See our Women’s Clubs on Zwift post!
When was your club founded?
2021
How did your club come to exist?
During the COVID‑19 pandemic, Moolman‑Pasio saw how virtual cycling could connect people globally when outdoor racing and travel were impossible. She noticed women were more open, confident and comfortable engaging online, “My avatar has no shame” was one observation she made about how Zwift removed barriers to participation. She wanted to expand that sense of confidence, empowerment and community beyond the professional peloton to everyday cyclists around the world.
Have any/all your club members ever met up IRL? If so, please tell us about it!
YES. Over the last four years, we have run an annual IRL Camp at the home of the Collective, Rocacorba Cycling in Girona (Ash’s home). Across these years, the purpose has been consistent: turning the online camaraderie of Zwift into real‑world friendships, shared cycling experiences, and deeper engagement through coaching, insightful talks and community spirit. It’s now starting to feel more like a family reunion than a cycling camp!
In addition to these Girona camps, Rhian and Helen, based in London, where many of our members are located, have hosted some adhoc laps in Richmond Park and weekend rides in the Surrey Hills, giving members in the UK a chance to connect offline, experience group rides, and strengthen the Collective community closer to home.
Do most/many/any of your members also ride outdoors?
Not all of our members ride outdoors, but a lot do. Many of those on our Training Tier work with our in‑house coach, Helen Bridgman, and nutritionist Jenny Powell to train towards outdoor goals. I’d estimate it’s about 70/30. Some members focus primarily on eSports and Zwift racing to maximize their virtual performance, while the majority enjoy a mix of indoor and outdoor riding, blending structured training on Zwift with real‑world cycling adventures.
What do you see as the biggest hurdle for women to start cycling?
One of the biggest hurdles for women to start cycling is often confidence and a sense of belonging. Last year, during our Women’s Day ride, we asked a few of our riders this same question, and they shared some common concerns: fear of not belonging, unsafe roads, angry drivers, and worries about mechanical issues. That’s why Rocacorba Collective emphasizes creating a welcoming, inclusive environment, both online and in real life, where women of all levels can ride, learn, and grow without pressure, feeling empowered to pursue their cycling goals.
Is the answer the same for women starting cycling on Zwift?
Not entirely, some hurdles shift in the virtual world. On Zwift, real-world challenges like unsafe roads, angry drivers, or mechanical issues disappear. As Ashleigh has said, “My avatar has no shame” – you can dress it up how you like, you can be whatever you want to be, and always jump out of a ride if you want. Zwift allows women to explore cycling in a safe, judgment-free space.
However, confidence and belonging remain the biggest challenges. Many women aren’t sure how to get started, how the platform works, how to join a ride or race, or feel they’re “not strong enough to race.” That’s why the Rocacorba Collective provides a friendly, inclusive space on Zwift, with women-only beginner rides, live coached sessions on Discord, social rides, and inclusive racing teams led by a DS and Team Captain. These opportunities help women learn the platform, build confidence, meet like-minded riders, and enjoy cycling virtually, whether they’re completely new to the sport or combining virtual riding with outdoor cycling.
Do you have thoughts/ideas/dreams for how we (we as a collective humanity, not necessarily Zwift – but it can include Zwift if you want) get more women riding?
Getting more women riding, both outdoors and virtually, is about removing barriers, building confidence, and creating community. It’s not just about bikes; it’s about culture, access, and visibility.
Some ideas and dreams include:
- Safe and welcoming spaces: More women-only rides, beginner-friendly groups, and mentoring programs, both in real life and online, so women can learn without fear of judgment.
- Role models and visibility: Highlighting diverse women riders, not just lean-looking influencers in fancy kit, from grassroots to professional, so aspiring cyclists can see themselves represented.
- Education: Teaching bike maintenance, safety skills, and riding confidence so mechanical worries or road anxiety don’t hold anyone back.
- Accessibility: Affordable bikes, safe roads, and community cycling hubs can make riding realistic for more women.
- Digital platforms as gateways: Platforms like Zwift can act as safe, playful spaces to experiment, train, and connect globally, bridging the gap between virtual confidence and outdoor riding.
- Community-driven motivation: Events, challenges, or campaigns that combine social connection with purpose, whether that’s charity rides, local group meetups, or virtual communities like the Rocacorba Collective.
- Reduce the jargon: There can be a lot of boring, technical jargon, “rules”, and chat around bikes and cycling. In reality, most are unimportant (apart from anything relating to safety). Eliminating the noise and enjoying riding your bike is the most important thing of all!
What is a fun fact you’d like to share about your club?
Rocacorba Collective isn’t just about Zwift rides, it also fundraises and supports real‑world initiatives. A portion of membership goes toward projects such as e‑cycling and learning centres in underprivileged communities in South Africa, particularly through partnerships with organisations like Khaltsha Cycles, helping young girls gain access to bikes, training, and education.
The Collective also supports One More City, an annual cycling campaign that raises funds and awareness for secondary breast cancer research. Each autumn, One More City riders travel between cities worldwide and host Zwift rides in October, sharing the Collective’s ethos of using cycling to bring people together and create meaningful impact.
If you had a magic wand to change one thing about the Zwift product OR the Zwift community, what would you wish for?
Seamless voice chat would make social rides feel less intimidating and far more human. Many riders can’t easily run Discord alongside Zwift, so having voice integrated directly into the game would be truly game-changing. Instead of riding silently beside avatars, women could hear encouragement in real time, ask questions naturally without typing into a public text feed, and build genuine connections as they pedal. That shared conversation, the laughter, reassurance, and collective effort can be the difference between feeling like an outsider and feeling like you truly belong.
Likewise, making it easier for community leaders to add written prompts and guidance into workouts would help demystify the platform. Clear cues, motivational messages, and step-by-step explanations built into sessions would reduce the “I don’t know how this works” barrier and help women feel supported rather than overwhelmed. It would turn structured training into something more personal and confidence-building, rather than something that feels technical or intimidating.
Ultimately, these changes wouldn’t just enhance features, they would nurture the very things women tell us they need most: connection, clarity, encouragement, and community. And that’s what truly helps people start and stay in cycling.
More about our Monday Women’s Only Workout Ride
We’re proud to share one of our highlighted women-only rides, a Zwift workout that has become a cornerstone of our community. We host this 45-minute session every Monday at 5pm UK time, with a consistent structure each week featuring 5 x 20-second micro-sprint efforts, while the route varies, often doubling as a recon for Tuesday night ZRL races.
What makes this ride so special is its accessibility and versatility. On paper, it’s a simple, approachable workout for newcomers, but it can be tailored to every rider’s needs. The ride is banded, so no one gets dropped, and the 20-second efforts can be adapted: go all-out for a high-intensity hit OR use them as high-cadence spin-ups for a more recovery ride or pre-race activation. It truly works for everyone, from complete beginners to seasoned Zwifters. The result is a wonderfully diverse group of women joining. The ride is led by one of our Rocacorba Collective ambassador ride leaders, who talks riders through the session and answers questions along the way, often sharing more about Erg Mode or other features in the app. We’ve seen women join who were completely new to Zwift, were positively influenced by the other riders on the ride, and who go on to become regular racers and influential members of our community.
This ride is more than just a workout; it’s a confidence-building gateway into Zwift, community, and belonging. It’s a ride we’re proud of, and one not to be missed.
See upcoming events at zwift.com/events/tag/rocacorba
Follow Rocacorba Collective:
- Zwift Events: zwift.com/events/tag/rocacorba
- Insta: instagram.com/rocacorbacollective
- Facebook: facebook.com/rocacorbacollective
- Website: rocacorbacycling.cc/collective
