Name: Jenny Ek
Hometown: Jakobstad, Finland
How did you get into cycling? I started cycling on Zwift during the Covid lockdowns. I have cycled all my life but only to get from one place to another, and not especially fast. I bought my own trainer and my first road bike a few months after I started Zwifting in 2021. Now I am also cycling on the outside: gravel, road and some MTB. I never thought I would enjoy bikes and cycling as much as I do.
How many years have you been racing on Zwift? I started racing in 2022, so this is my 3rd year.
Are you part of a Virtual team? I race for Toyota Elite ECycling.
What do you love most about racing? I race to challenge myself, to push my limits and improve. I am my hardest opponent – I can never fully win nor lose, I always discover new things to work on.
What is your favourite style of race (e.g. points, scratch, iTT, TTT, Chase, duathlon)? I like long points races with many segments but I also like a good TTT, because it is a team effort. I used to be afraid to let my team down, but now I see it like an opportunity to find strength in the whole team and try to find ways to succeed together.
What is your favourite Zwift women’s race series? Iceni was the first women’s race series I ever did, so that will always be a special series to me.
What is your most memorable racing experience, inside or outside or BOTH? To race in the European Continental Qualifiers and later the UCI Cycling Esports World Championships 2023 on Zwift. Unfortunately I had been sick with Covid the whole week leading up to the World Championships. On race day I started with a fever but I really wanted to represent my country because it was the first time Finland had a female rider in the Cycling Esport World Championships. And of course, winning the first Finnish national championship for women in 2023 is also a very memorable experience.
What is your favourite food to eat post race? I often race quite late in the evening so I seldom eat a proper meal after, but chocolate is definitely a post-race snack.
What advice would you give to a woman entering her first Zwift race? Be brave and bold – believe in yourself. Stay true to yourself and try your best. But also remember that you are the only one who can decide what that “best” is and in the end that is all that really matters.
Any upcoming race are you looking forward to? I will hopefully compete in a few outside races this summer. I’m completely new to racing on the outside but this is one of my targets and I will work stubbornly to make it happen.
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