Cycling news - Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio excited for future after Zwift Tour for All
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
Updated 08/05/2020 at 17:58 GMT
Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio believes the Zwift Tour for All has helped “break down barriers” around women’s cycling and is excited for the opportunities ahead.
Ashleigh Moolman Pasio - CCC-Liv
Image credit: Eurosport
The South African was the standout rider over the five stages of the virtual race, winning three of them and finishing with a stunning ascent of Alpe du Zwift.
The Tour for All is the start of a month-long charity fundraising initiative aimed at helping those affected by the COVID-19 crisis.
And Moolman-Pasio says the exposure – with races on the same course as the men and broadcast either before or after the men's race - has also been a huge boost.
“What I'm really most positive about this week is the amazing opportunity we've had,” she said.
“It's an incredible opportunity for women's cycling to, for the first time, have real equality or parity with the men. I mean, we've ridden the same stages; the same TV coverage.
“I've seen how it's been for me as the individual athlete to see engagement I've received from fans. The number of followers I'm getting every day, just because my racing is visible on the TV, just shows you how important exposure is.
I think that it's a much bigger opportunity for women's cycling. And I hope that it's just the starting point of much more to come in terms of exposure for women through the virtual world. It's just opened up my mind to a whole new opportunity for women's cycling and to really build a loyal fan base. Doing a weekly woman's ride on Zwift followed. I've just realised how great Zwift is in terms of breaking down barriers.
“It's brought a lot of attention to us and the women's peloton. I think people are surprised to see the numbers that we are holding throughout the stages and on the climbs. It brings new interest to our racing when we eventually go outdoors.
“I think that the virtual world presents an easier opportunity for us to really engage our fanbase and to grow our fanbase - that could eventually translate into the real world. What I've always found in women's cycling is, although there a lot of progress from year to year in terms of the exposure, it's not consistent.
“How do you really build a real fan base if the fans don't even know where to find you? I think Zwift could present a great opportunity to build that fan base, which then could translate into great exposure on the road as well.”
The CCC-Liv rider also explained how she has developed into a more “powerful” cyclist while training indoors.
“What I've learned from Zwift is how to really stay on the pedal and to really hold that super consistent power. I think what we often do in the real world is we kind of learn how to cheat a little bit, you know.
“So, wherever there's an opportunity to come off the pedal or to sit in in the wheels and freewheel, and we generally take it. Whereas in the virtual world on Zwift, you can't really do that as much. That has helped me to be more of a powerful rider in the real world and to stay on the pedals.
“There's no cheating in the virtual world. You have to fight wars.”
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement