It’s three weeks since VeloViewer’s Anna finished The Route event in aid of Cure Leukaemia, conquering all nine stages of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. During this time they tackled over 1175 km of riding and 18,795 meters of vertical climbing. To date this incredible crew of 19 riders have smashed their fundraising target of £250K.
While their combined efforts will make a profound difference in the lives of so many patients, they’ve also gained priceless memories and lifelong friendships along the way.
We caught up with Anna to hear her reflections post Route and her insight into pro life on the bike.
What are your standout memories from The Route?
I have so many incredible memories. Meeting and riding with such an amazing group of women, and hearing about their training journeys and their personal connections to blood cancer was deeply inspiring. We were a diverse group across nationalities, ages, and backgrounds, and we really bonded – I’ve missed them all a lot since finishing.
My standout day was Stage 7. We were riding one day ahead of the pro peloton, and our seventh stage coincided with the Étape du Tour Femmes, so part way through our stage we joined the official Étape route and tackled Mont Ventoux as part of the event. The atmosphere was buzzing, and chatting with riders from all over the world was a great distraction from the relentless climbing. It was my first time up Ventoux, and it definitely lived up to the hype, its otherworldly landscape blew me away, and the descent into Malaucène was phenomenal.
As a group, we have raised more than £250,000 for Cure Leukaemia. This money will support research into kinder, more effective and more accessible treatments. During the event, there was such a clear sense of the tangible difference that this money will make to people – it was very motivating for all of us.
Did it give you a taste of what it’s like to be a pro in the Tour de France Femmes?
Absolutely. It offered me real insight into the relentless off-the-bike routines that you never see on TV. Finish lines were instantly followed by a whirlwind of recovery shakes, bus transfers, quick meals, hotel check-ins, sports therapy sessions, kit washing, sterilising bottles, dinner, stage briefings, bike checks, route downloads, weather checks, laying out gear, and packing for a swift exit the next morning. There was zero downtime.
It also gave me a taste of how easily you lose connection with the outside world. I often woke up with no idea where we were in France or even what day of the week it was!
What were the best parts of the ‘pro life’?
Riding through decorated villages fully prepped for the pros was incredible. The local support was wonderful and emotional; everyone wanted to cheer us on and hear our story. We even got some donations out on the road!
Taking inspiration from the pros, how did you approach training?
Everyone in the group took preparation seriously; it took months of early-morning turbo sessions and long, weekend endurance rides to get ready.
What was your biggest training game-changer?
Fuelling guidance and support. Getting your nutrition right makes a massive difference on a multi-day tour. I went through a dedicated period of gut training so my stomach could handle the high hourly carbohydrate targets. By the time the event started, taking on fuel every 20 minutes was second nature. Embracing the mindset that you’re fuelling for tomorrow, not today, was essential, if you fall behind there’s no way to catch back up.
How did you handle consecutive days in the saddle?
Durability was the main focus of my training programme. I trained specifically for the event for around 6 months and as the event drew near I completed a four-week ‘block training’ phase with event simulations to help me prepare for what was to come. Learning to “rest hard” and actively manage fatigue was new to me, but that proactive recovery allowed my body to absorb heavy, back-to-back training days.
When the event finally arrived, all the training combined with the adrenaline, excitement, and the camaraderie of the group carried me through.
What is your top advice for anyone considering The Route next year?
Honestly: just sign up! It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience that stays with you forever. Register early so you have plenty of time to enjoy the training journey and get on top of the fundraising. I came home with my head buzzing with ideas for future adventures and the overwhelming feeling that anything is possible.
You can support Anna and donate to Cure Leukaemia here.
Or if you’re motivated to take on this epic challenge you can sign-up for The Route 2027 by clicking this link.
Nicola Laurenson says:
Anna, I absolutely loved this write-up. Our little Tour de France bubble was the most amazingly surreal nine days. Whenever people ask me what it was like, I struggle to put it into words. The cycling was tough, the heat was brutal, the days were long, and sleep never quite enough. Yet somehow, what I remember most are all the laughs and shared moments along the way.
One memory that always makes me smile is us sitting on the boot of the support car, completely cooked, staring at those baguettes and wondering whether we had the energy to eat them, let alone tackle a fourth lap of Col de Èze!
Those moments felt hard at the time, but they’re some of my favourite memories now. Thanks for such a brilliant write-up, and thank you for all the good times.