09 Jul The Challenges We Face – A Riders Perspective (Britney)

As part of a series of articles exploring womens equality in cycling we asked our riders what are the biggest challenges they face and how the organisations involved could help riders overcome these obstacle’s.

First up is Britney Kerr one of our outstanding young U19 riders.

MGH: What are the biggest challenges facing NZ Women Road riders looking to develop their cycling career?

BK: During the transition from U19 to U23 to Elite women tend to face the question – is this what I want to do with my life? They tend to question the pathway ahead more so than the men, they wonder if they should study, find an alternate career, or even assess if they just settle down and have a family – often walking away after having attained ten years of competitive racing experience. I think the attitude of walking away is because it becomes too hard; there are fewer women’s teams with funding in the sport than men so it is hard financially to make the commitment. It is not because of a lack of interest. I understand that you shouldn’t have to win every race to want to continue with the sport, but a lack of an U23 title at the World Championships means the women miss out on the carrot that pulls the men through their development stages – being best in the world becomes achievable.

MGH: What can Cycling New Zealand do to help?

BK: Funding is always the debate, the finances could be helped but some endorsement from CNZ to trade teams like they did with MGH Women’s at 2018 Sun Tour would be very useful. This gives more women the opportunity for high level international racing as well as potentially gaining greater sponsorship opportunities, and increase the number of race invites and entries. Every little bit helps.

MGH: What can NZ trade teams do to help?

BK: Teams need to keep hunting for those overseas opportunities because we are all aware that you cannot go to the World Tour on domestic NZ racing alone. Like MGH’s have done, the experiences our girls are getting in the USA and Canada will do a lot in the development of their careers.

MGH: What can race organisers do to help?

BK: Race organisers within NZ already do quite a lot to help with women’s cycling but a large debate globally is that of equal prize money and race times. For some races they could begin by racing the women in prime times and having the men start early instead. Prize money should be equal. I know that Patrick’s dream is to get women racing in the Tour of Southland as there is no women’s version – so the NZ organisers could help with this in the years ahead to make his dream a reality.

MGH: What can the UCI do to help?

BK: The UCI have been making steps forward in women’s cycling by allowing women to race Madison’s on track and slowly upping race distances on the road, but there is still a long way to go. The World Championships this year have been very controversial with the women missing out on the major hill of the course and there is still no U23 title. They could begin with changing these ongoing issues that occur year after year. For those in U19, there is only a very small Nations Cup series for the women which runs between March and April whereas the boys have a Nations Cup ongoing throughout the season which contributes to UCI points for World Championships qualifications. And for the U23 Women, there is no Nations Cup when boys of the same age get the opportunity to race for their country. Every year a team of NZ U19 boys gets sent to Canada to compete in July- why can’t women race then too? I’m not going to say that every men’s race needs a female equivalent but what is it with the lack of any major women’s tour? The largest tour is the Giro Rosa (‘equivalent’ to the Giro d’Italia) and this is only 10 stages long. The men get three major 21 stage races every year, the Giro d’Italia, Vuela a Espana and of course the Tour de France along with numerous other tours of slightly shorter length.

BK: With all of these issues still plaguing cycling for women it is no wonder why women debate whether they are really prepared to endure the pathway ahead. Things are looking up though, with very positive changes being made in all areas – Tour Down Under giving equal prize money and the Sun Tour having their first ever women’s tour. We just need more people like Patrick and Tammy, and the Mike Greer Homes Women’s Cycling Team to lead the way.