VeloViewer Director Anna is getting ready for pro season this year as she prepares to take on Cure Leukaemia‘s unique challenge of The Route, which mirrors the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift (TdFFaZ) race, just one day ahead of the pros.
Taking place in July, Anna has signed up for the ‘Taste of The Route’ event which will feature the first two stages of this year’s pro race all in aid of this amazing charity, raising funds for young people with blood cancers. She will ride alongside participants who are taking on the full nine days of riding covering each stage of the TdFFaZ.
VeloViewer is also supporting the Route’s technical team by providing access to the VeloViewer WorldTour package which will give access to the Race Hub during the prep phase and Live App during the event itself, providing maximum support and safety to riders and organisers.
With news of the TdFFaZ coming to VeloViewer’s home town of Sheffield in 2027 Anna has been spurred on with her training and shares her journey so far.
What inspired you to take on the Route?
I followed the progress of The Route riders last year and was so impressed with the effort they put in and the grit they showed. I was particularly impressed by the women who were relatively new to cycling! All the women threw themselves into the training, I loved following their stories over the months of prep and the whole event was really inspiring.
I’m a big cycling fan and I know just how tough the Grand Tours are, having the opportunity to ride a couple of stages was just too exciting to pass up. I love the fact that the Route event is just one day ahead of the actual Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift and we get to ride as a group with full support; it’s the closest I’ll ever get to being a pro.
I didn’t know much about the charity Cure Leukaemia before signing up. I’ve since learnt about the amazing work they do to support young people who have blood cancers; I had no idea just how prevalent blood cancers are in this age group. The charity has created lots of opportunities for riders to meet patients and their families and to visit clinical centres so that we all know exactly how much this fund raising matters. It is so powerful hearing young people talking about their experiences. I felt even more motivated after hearing about the specific focus of raising money for The ATICUS Network. Stem-cell transplant offers many young people with cancer hope, but with no coordinated way for children to take part in vital studies, many are missing out on the latest advances in care. I can really see how the collaboration between the leading centres will improve parity and enable more young people to access the best possible care.
How are you preparing for the two stages, and what’s the focus of your training?
Rest assured I am taking it very seriously! I had to have several months off the bike last year so I really need time for my body to adjust to this new training load. I’m building up my volume at the moment, which means lots of hours on the indoor trainer. Honestly, at the moment it just feels like a great privilege to be on the bike training regularly. Having such a brilliant focus has super-charged my motivation, I am very much looking forward to some sunny rides come spring though, we’ve had a bit too much sleet recently in Sheffield.
With each stage hitting 100km+ what other memorable long days have you had in the saddle?
I would describe myself as a ‘keen recreational cyclist’ what I lack in talent, I make up for in enthusiasm! I spend as much time as possible riding bikes and have been lucky enough to have lots of amazing cycling adventures with friends. I’ve completed Sportive events in Majorca including the 312 event, done some amazing riding around Girona, and had a fabulous mountain bike adventure cycling around the coast of Menorca. A couple of years ago I also enjoyed four character building days of solid rain on the TransWales mountain bike route.
I also ride with local Sheffield club 7Hills CC, where I have worked with the team to grow the women’s group, riding with them makes the longer rides so much easier.
Have you connected with any of the other riders taking part?
I am planning to link up with fellow Sheffield riders Zoe Burton and Katharine Patrick for some training rides. They both work with children with blood cancers (as anaesthetist and haematologist respectively) so I am really looking forward to hearing more about their work and learning more about what motivated them to sign up for the full nine days!
We have a training camp in Calpe in March, this will be a great opportunity to get some longer days of training in and to meet more of the riders.
What role will VeloViewer play in The Route event?
I’m delighted that VeloViewer can support the brilliant work of Cure Leukaemia. We are working together to try to enable the team and the riders to have access to the same technology as the Tour de France Femmes pros.
The Route technical team will have a VeloViewer Race Hub,so they can use this to manage each of the stages and to ensure that everyone is fully prepared. This will provide them with access to all the key features of the route alongside logistical information such as opportunities for food stops or hazards.
The Route team will also have access to the Live App that teams use on race day to support the riders. This runs on a device in support vehicles and enables the user to see what’s coming up on the route and where the rest of the support fleet are located.
We’ll also be using VeloViewer graphics and assets to help the riders understand all the facets of each stage. Riders will be able to share these to support their own fundraising too.
Are you a female rider who would love to take on the challenge of the? Entry is still open to join Anna and the team on this unique and epic challenge.
You can take on the first two stages of the TDFFaZ as part of the Taste of The Route, or tackle all 9 stages!
All details can be found on the Route website.