Name: Gökçe Paul
Hometown: Hannover, Lower Saxony in Germany
How did you get into cycling? My partner introduced me to cycling and got me my first road bike in 2019, but I didn’t really start cycling regularly until the Covid pandemic, when my gym was closed and my partner set up Zwift for me instead. Then I started enjoying races and going all out, which was a new experience for me.
How many years have you been racing on Zwift? I started racing on Zwift in 2021, so almost four years now. In April 2021 I did my first round of ZRL in a women’s B team.
Are you part of a Virtual team? I am a member of Team Coalition and my elite racing team is Coalition Alpha.
What do you love most about racing? I like the varying intensity and adapting to the different efforts. Especially if it’s a hilly or rolling terrain.
What is your favourite style of race (e.g. points, scratch, iTT, TTT, Chase, duathlon)? I find points races the most interesting.
What is your favourite Zwift women’s race series? I liked the Iceni Race series and the Tour de Boudicca.
What is your most memorable racing experience, inside or outside or BOTH? When I did my first Iceni Race series in 2022, it was spring and during that time I already started riding outside again. So I could enjoy some nice weather outside and race on Zwift at the same time.
What is your favourite food to eat post-race? I don’t have a favourite food to eat after a race, because most of the time I don’t really feel hungry, so I usually have my regular dinner, but nothing that has a special connection to racing or working out.
What advice would you give to a woman entering her first Zwift race? Focus on the first few minutes and don’t give up too early, it will get easier later (most likely…)
Don’t expect to win races from the very beginning, it takes practice to understand the Zwift mechanics. Also, if you come from road racing, you have to get used to the totally different efforts on Zwift. It’s more comparable to cyclocross in terms of the physical stress.
Where can people follow your racing adventures? I am active on Strava and Instagram.
