Growing up, Aimee has always had a penchant for bicycles – it just runs in her blood. We sit down with her and ask a few questions.
How did you start cycling? Has it always been around?
Growing up I have always supported my parents at various triathlon, Ironman or cycling events, so it has always been a massive part of my life. When I was 12 my family and I moved to Holland, out there cycling is the way of life; every town has its own cycling club house and race track. So I found myself joining the local cycling club and partake in their activities
When I was 13 I gained my first race license and raced against other girls at the local races around the villages. Whilst living back in the United Kingdom I raced for my University team, after this I was invited to ride for a women’s cycling team and took part in the national road series plus various other events.
Would you consider yourself as a hobbyist or a professional?
Although when I was younger I did dream of becoming a professional cyclist, I was always in awe watching the grand tours on TV. I always believed it was impossible to get to that level of riding, especially for women. Currently I ride for and manage the Cycle Hub bike shop, which is a local amateur team and we compete in various events around Dubai. Cycling is a passion for me; I love riding, racing and watching cycling!
Where do you usually go for a ride?
In Dubai there is somewhere to train every day which is fantastic. I usually do a couple of group rides in the week around Nad Al Sheba or Al Qudra cycle path. But now the weather has cooled down, I love riding the hills around the different routes up in Hatta. I sometimes travel to the bigger climbs such as Jebel Jais or Jebel Hafeet for some proper mountain training. In the summers I usually ride back in the Pyrenees, Alps or try to go on a training camp abroad.
Do you also have other outdoor activities?
I grew up horse riding, then used to always race and train for triathlon. I loved trail running back in the UK and competed in various half marathon trail runs. I like different challenges or adventures. I used to work as an outdoor instructor so love anything such as skiing, kayaking and rock climbing.
What difference do you think does a woman make in the cycling community?
Cycling out here in Dubai is very inclusive to everyone, so women ride just as hard as the men. Although when it comes to the races, there are not always the same opportunities as the men. Cycling should be an equal sport, so we should have the same events as the men. This year is the first year women have had their own race league, so the enthusiasm and excitement within the community is booming. The amount of women teams which have been brought together is amazing.
How do you feel when you’re on the saddle?
I love spending hours on my own out on the bike, every summer I spend weeks riding around the mountains on my own just taking in the views and stopping at local cafes. I love the feeling of pushing through pain barriers and the power you feel in your legs. The feeling of all that pain climbing up a mountain to forget it all when flying back down at 80+km/h is just amazing. The most satisfying feeling is to challenge yourself, push yourself through the pain and complete an epic ride. The best days on the saddle for me are the 5-6 hour rides where I have pushed to the brink and know I have deserved my dinner.
Have you been to any events? Tell us about your favourite one.
An event I have always been proud of completing was the coast to coast, where we started on the Atlantic coast in France and cycled all the way across the Pyrenees to the Mediterranean coast in a week. This meant cycling over famous cols such as the Tourmalet and even the highest paved climb in Andorra.
A recent event was the UWCT World Championships in Denmark, 165km road race against different nationalities, over a 165km undulating course. This was a fantastic experience as the Dubai community really stuck together throughout this event and I even had my brother come to support so had an amazing time.
What are your plans for this season?
This season I would like to continue enjoying my training and to do well within the local races with my new teammates. Then my focus will be to train ready for the summer races back in the UK and France, as I usually go back to race for my UK team – High Wycombe.
Lastly, if there is one cycling challenge you’d like to finally take on, what would it be?
It has always been a dream to complete the whole official Tour de France route. Ever since I have been little I have spent the summers glued to the TV watching the tour. I have been lucky enough to camp out on the mountain stages, partying and cheering on the riders. I have always ridden many stages of the tour, but to have the chance to push myself to the limits and see if I am capable of completing this gruelling, three-week challenge would be my dream which I hope to achieve one day.
Age: 27
Nationality: British
Occupation: GEMS Wellington International School – Year 5 Primary School Teacher
