UK’s 100 most inspirational women in cycling revealed for 2024
The charity started 100 Women in Cycling in 2017 to bring more visibility to women who cycle and to address the gender imbalance that is both real and perceived in cycling. Men who cycle still outnumber the women who do but each year, Cycling UK receives an increasing number of nominations that highlight the growing number of incredible women transforming cycling.
By highlighting these trailblazing women, the charity aims to motivate the next generation of riders to get on their bikes and make cycling a part of their everyday lives.
This year’s list ranges from the founder of Africa’s first woman-owned cycling apparel brand, Alice Kivuva, to award-winning author, educator and founder of the Period Positive movement, Chella Quint OBE. Covering everything from grassroots campaigners to business leaders and social media influencers, the awards are given out in four categories:
- Community champion
- Sporting hero
- Cycle influencer
- Industry mogul
Sarah Mitchell, chief executive at Cycling UK, said:
“Each year I’m blown away by all the remarkable stories we receive of women making lasting, inspirational and transformative change through cycling. It’s a privilege to share these names and give real recognition to the women who have worked so hard to bring their love of cycling to others.
“This year’s nominees remind us of the power cycling holds to bring people together and empower individuals. Looking back, we’ve made great progress to make cycling more inclusive through campaigns for safer cycling infrastructure and initiatives that promote cycling for all ages and abilities.
“But our work is far from done. The road ahead is full of opportunity, and we’re eager to see more women and diverse communities take up cycling.”
This year’s 100 Women in Cycling list features:
- CeCe Balfour, 18
A ride leader for the New Forest Off Road Club who has learning disabilities, ASD (autism spectrum disorder) and complex needs, is inspiring others through her remarkable resilience and dedication to show how inclusive cycling can be.
She’s not just a role model to young and disabled cyclists, but for anyone seeking joy and freedom on wheels. CeCe credits the Kent club Limitless at Cyclopark for helping her build confidence, skills and connection to community.
CeCe’s mother, Vicky, said: “CeCe started cycling on a pull-along trike behind my bike and loved it. She still rides that if we're going on rides that involve roads or longer distances, but she has now started riding an ICE Trikes Adventure Trike. Cycling brings her so much joy and she loves sharing that with others and helping them find confidence and happiness on bikes.”
CeCe herself said: “Being on the 100 Women in Cycling list is just so fantastic. It makes me happy and proud. I love cycling because it’s just so magical. Being out with your friends is so good.”
- Ayomide Oluyemi, 29
Ayomide rediscovered cycling in 2020 and found immense mental health benefits from the inclusive and supportive communities they joined – as well as the physical activity.
Since then, Ayo has wanted to give back to the community serving on the committee of their club Velociposse, leading rides and organising sessions for people of colour and trans and non-binary cyclists, and supporting new cyclists through volunteering with an initiative called Cycle Together.
Ayomide said: “It’s a huge honour to be named as a community champion in Cycling UK’s 100 Women in Cycling. I’ve been following the list closely ever since I got into cycling and it’s been a source of inspiration for me, so being included feels extra special.
“I’m fortunate to have a wonderful community of women, trans and non-binary people who showed me the ropes when I first got into cycling, and I still learn from today. I try to pay this forward through coaching skills sessions for my club, Velociposse. Like Cycling UK, we want to get more underrepresented groups into cycling, through providing supportive spaces for people to learn in.”
- Heather Lambert, 67
A founding member and ride leader of Ride For Their Lives, an international collective of healthcare workers campaigning about the climate crisis and the impact of air pollution in seriously damaging children’s health. In 2024, she rode from Newcastle to Birmingham, around London, UK to Paris and Paris to Geneva, to raise awareness of the wide range of illnesses caused by air pollution.
Heather said: “I’m thrilled and honoured to be on this list with so many inspirational people who have done incredible things. Riding together with RFTL we discuss what actions are needed to protect the planet; we support each other to speak up about the evidence that air pollution is seriously damaging our health and we advocate for the air we breathe to be cleaner.
“The people who cycle with us are diverse by age, gender, job, fitness, ability; riding regular or electric bikes. We have fun and try to model how cycling should be, aligning with Cycling UK’s excellent focus on diversity and encouraging anyone to try cycling. If we can’t imagine a better world, how can we fight for it?”
Cycling UK has made significant strides in promoting inclusivity and diversity over the past decade, building on its long history of supporting women in cycling.
In 1907, the suffragette Rose Lamartine Yates became the first woman elected to its council, a groundbreaking achievement at a time when women in Britain did not yet have the parliamentary vote. Women had first been admitted to the organisation in 1880, and although a few female candidates ran for council, none were successful until Rose’s 1907 victory.
Her story serves as a powerful reminder of how far Cycling UK has come in its ongoing efforts to support women’s cycling and gender equality. The charity has continued this work with programmes that actively encourage women from all backgrounds to cycle, while also addressing barriers to participation.
Initiatives like the Big Bike Revival see more women take part than men and have gone on to empower thousands of women to take up cycling.
To see the full list, visit https://www.cyclinguk.org/100women/2024
ENDS
Notes to editors
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Cycling UK, the UK’s cycling charity, aims to create happier, healthier and greener lives through cycling.
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For a regional breakdown of the list and photos, visit:
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For more than 140 years, we’ve been making our streets safer, opening up new traffic-free routes and inspiring more people to cycle more often. For more information, visit: www.cyclinguk.org
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To see this year’s list, visit https://www.cyclinguk.org/100women/2024.
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For more info on the initiative, go to https://www.cyclinguk.org/100women
Press contact information
For more information, please contact the national Cycling UK press office www.cyclinguk.org/contact/press-and-media. If you would like to speak to a member of the press office during working hours (0900 - 1700) please call Tiia Jaakola on 07867 175716 or email [email protected]. Out of hours, call 0148 3238 315
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