Woman Racer Spotlight: Gretchen Zoeller

Name: Gretchen Zoeller 

Hometown: Nottingham, UK

How did you get into cycling? It’s a long story! I was 144 kg till 19. At 12 years old I discovered sport. I threw the discus and hammer, then got injured and lost 100kg. I started training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu at the age of 22 and have successfully competed all over the world.  I was the first British woman to medal at black belt in Brazil and the 3rd British woman to be awarded a black belt.

Then at 41 my life was turned upside down. I was diagnosed with a knee issue which turned out to be quite a serious disability. I decided to retire from the professional division and had my last fight. On the advice of my knee surgeon, I started cycling in mid 2020. I couldn’t do a 5-mile ride without stopping for hills even though I was fit. 

I met a lady at a local club who persuaded me to try an introduction to racing course she was teaching (thanks Liz!). I tried a few TTs in 2022 and enjoyed them. Racing filled the competitive gap I was missing after leaving high-level sport. 

In 2023 I signed up for a full season of able-bodied TT’s. I medalled at the VTTA national 100-mile TT & won two open 10s. I now compete for the Born2Bike racing team. My physio suggested I contact British Cycling for a para assessment which after a year of fighting was completed in June ’24. My knee is a degenerative disability and some days I can’t walk. Some Zwift races I compete using one leg!

How many years have you been racing on Zwift? 3 years 

Are you part of a Virtual team? Definitely! REVO, my team, is fantastic. You know when you’ve found “your people.” I love the ladies in my team, they are amazing. 

What do you love most about racing? Pushing myself. That feeling of destroying yourself during a race and the exhilaration at the finish. Oh, and the spare calories! 

What is your favourite style of race (e.g. points, scratch, iTT, TTT, Chase, duathlon)?  I do love a TT! 

What is your favourite Zwift women’s race series? TBD, but anywhere the whole team are involved and fighting for positions.

What is your most memorable racing experience, inside or outside or BOTH? I was in Cambridge at a 10-mile TT. I’d had bad news from my doctor. I thought f*** it. I emptied the tank and did 22.51. I cried at the side of the road after and 2 other riders stopped to check on me. They asked why I was crying. I said, “Because I just got an epic PB.” We rode the 8 miles back to HQ together! 

What is your favourite food to eat post race? Protein shakes and cold pizza made by the expert Maria at Pizza Paz (I fought middle-heavyweight).

What advice would you give to a woman entering her first Zwift race? Have high expectations for yourself because you are stronger than you realise, and you can achieve more than anyone ever expected of you. 

Any upcoming race you are looking forward to? I’m recovering from knee surgery and just want to start training ASAP. 

Where can people follow your racing adventures? I’m old skool. I don’t like to post much, but if you like photos of cute German Shepherds then @gretzoeller on Insta.

**A big shout out to my biggest supporter. My husband Ben. He gets my bikes ready, maintains and repairs both them and me (which is a much bigger job!). I literally couldn’t do it without him.