It's been a strange few weeks here in the Taylor world. The world is definitely changing - some kind of seismic shift has occurred! Last time I wrote I was talking about no longer feeling like a climber, well it looks as though the transition is now complete.........
Over the last few months there has been a whole lot going on in the northwest with regards to womens' cycling, the Cycling Development North West agreed have thrown themselves in to running a womens' road race league alongside their existing programme. It may only be 5 races - but it's a major step forward - no longer will the girls have to enter mixed races and get dropped and demoralised - we can race against each other (and still get dropped!!). Manchester Wheelers were a part of this process as we run one of the CDNW races and after I asked people and they all agreed that the Wheelers would be psyched to have a womens race in our event - brilliant! Luckily some of the other events also agreed.
The other thing that happened was a new Womens Race Development Squad was announced, as part of the BikeTreks Race Team. (BikeTreks already have a junior squad and a senior mens team.) My first reaction was - that's brilliant - a womens team based in the North West - looking for people to develop rather than be wads already.....I'm sure loads of people will apply and it'll be great.
The team (and the CDNW league) is the brainchild of Heather Bamforth, who I met at my first road race in Hull - the one where there were 59 blokes and me, and I basically rode round on my own for a while. Heather was there supporting her husband and riding around the course in the opposite direction and giving me a big cheer every time we crossed. Since then we've been in touch over the CDNW stuff and we raced together at our last race of the season - this time 58 blokes plus we 2 girls! We ended up riding together for quite a lot of the race - the marshals did mention that they knew we were coming because they could hear the talking!
So anyway, the team was announced and I thought nothing more of it for a few days. I'm a Manchester Wheeler......I don't need a team. But then I thought some more. I've loved being part of the Wheelers this year, it's been great I've proudly sported my jersey at all the races I've attended. But I have been ploughing a lonely furrow - none of the other Wheeler women have been getting involved in bunch racing at all. Viv has been AMAZING at time trialling - not sure how she does it?! Very impressive.
But the thing in bike racing is it's about being part of a team - you watch the professionals and it becomes more and more apparent that without team support the lead rider won't win. Now I don't see myself as being a lead rider or winning but I felt like I want to give it a try - this whole racing as a team thing. So feeling brave and with some encouragement from Andy I decided I had nothing to lose - I applied. So what if I didn't get in? It wouldn't matter I could carry on with what I've been doing this year and improve, but I realised that I shouldn't let the opportunity pass without trying - I'm way too old to ever be any good at this cycling lark but I can give it my best shot!
So, I waited.......... didn't actually know how long I would need to wait so I kind of put it all to the back of my mind and carried on with the rest of life - working, riding, trying to get through the endless velodrome accreditation system!
Then I got a message from Heather - "Read your email" it said.
Flipping Heck - I got onto the squad!! I could hardly believe it! I was jubilant and then I was terrified (what if I was rubbish and didn't do the team proud?? what if..???) and then I was sad! What about Manchester Wheelers? Well no I won't be racing in a Manchester Wheelers jersey next year, I'll be in a BikeTreksRT jersey - which is really exciting!
But will I disappear from the world of the Wheelers? I doubt that very much, I still need people to ride with, I'm still going to want to help encourage the women in the club to get out and ride (and race - although not too quickly ;) ) and I'm still going to the club dinner this weekend!
So it's Hello to my new BikeTreks Team - we are 5 women - Heather, me, Nic Fox (also a Manchester Wheeler), Nicky Shaw and Lizzie Waterhouse - we haven't all met yet and I'm not even sure what's going to happen other than doing our best and enjoying it!
Thanks for having me!
p.s. I'll post a picture of the new jersey when I've got one!
