Woman Racer Spotlight: Alice Lethbridge 

Name: Alice Lethbridge 

Hometown: Epsom, Surrey 

How did you get into cycling? I was an injured runner when the London 2012 Olympics was on and I live 20 minutes from Box Hill. I had a bike for commuting and rode out to watch the Olympic road race, thought it looked more fun than keeping fit in the gym, and started doing ‘Olympic loops’ regularly then joined the local cycling club and got hooked. I started racing in 2016 as it took a while to build my confidence.

How many years have you been racing on Zwift? I joined in lockdown in March 2020, so have now been on the platform 4 years.

Are you part of a Virtual team? I currently race for Coalition and Coalition Alpha. 

What do you love most about racing? The team camaraderie. That’s definitely the main reason I race. 

What is your favourite style of race (e.g. points, scratch, iTT, TTT, Chase, duathlon)?  Races with repeated hills. Big Foot Hills and Surrey Hills are my favourite courses. I also like races where you can deploy team tactics. TTTs are always great fun, too. 

What is your favourite Zwift women’s race series? The WTRL Vienna TTT league. I love the camaraderie and friendships it builds.

What is your most memorable racing experience, inside or outside or BOTH? Inside has to be the Esports Olympic event in Singapore last year. Racing on that stage in front of large crowds and with your teammates by your side was awesome. Outside it’s racing the women’s tour in 2021. Rubbing shoulders with the likes of Lizzie Deignan and Demi Vollering for a week was a dream come true. Get me talking about either event and you can’t quell my happiness. 

What is your favourite food to eat post race? I often end up craving vegetables after a race. I need a contrast to the sweetness of gels and energy chews!

What advice would you give to a woman entering her first Zwift race? The start is the hardest part of the race. I did not know people sprint out the gates and got left behind in my first race – oops! I think also that learning how to race on Zwift takes time and joining a team is the best way to get tips on that, and make great friends. 

Any upcoming race you are looking forward to? I’m currently racing the Zwift World Series. The courses are great but I’m finding it pretty tough to balance around work and have had to lower my expectations with respect to results. Several of the women racing now ride full-time and are so incredibly strong.  Thursday evening is definitely my most exhausted point of the week! The races are good targets to provide structure to training over winter though. 

Where can people follow your racing adventures? I’m not great with social media, as being a teacher we’re not meant to have any public profiles. I do have an Instagram account that I try to update with my outdoor racing though, @alicett12.