International Women’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate the athletes, pioneers and communities that continue to shape our sport.

In cycling, the past decade has seen remarkable progress. Women’s racing has grown in professionalism, visibility and depth, with stronger fields, greater opportunities and more riders stepping onto the start line than ever before.

Gravel racing is part of that story.

Across the world the discipline continues to evolve, and women are playing a huge role in driving that momentum forward. As organisers, our responsibility is to make sure the platform keeps pace with that growth.

At The Gralloch, supporting women’s racing isn’t an afterthought. It is central to how we design and deliver the event. Our ambition is simple: to help set the gold standard for women’s gravel racing.

That means creating the right conditions for riders to compete, perform and inspire.

Building the Right Platform

For women’s racing to thrive, the structure around it has to be right.

Fairness, safety and visibility all play a role in shaping the experience for riders on the start line.

At The Gralloch, this commitment is reflected in the way the race is organised.

The event features a stand-alone women’s start, allowing riders to compete in a fair and uncompromised race environment. Dedicated age group waves ensure that riders are racing directly against their peers, creating meaningful competition across the entire field.

Alongside the racing itself, we continue to invest in coverage and storytelling that shines a spotlight on the women’s race and the athletes driving the sport forward.

The result is the strongest women’s fields in UK gravel racing and a race environment that reflects the growing ambition and professionalism within the sport.

But beyond the structure of the race, what truly defines women’s cycling are the moments that unfold within it.

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Moments That Defined Our Year

Across the Red On Sports events calendar, the past year has delivered some unforgettable moments in women’s gravel racing.

From dramatic finishes to remarkable comebacks, these are the stories that defined our year as organisers and reminded us why creating the right platform for racing matters.

Tessa Neefjes’ Emotional Gralloch Victory

The 2025 Gralloch women’s race produced one of the most memorable finishes in the event’s history.

Tessa Neefjes and Ffion Gilbert sprinted towards the line together, separated by just 0.2 seconds at the finish.

The crowd knew who had won. The media on the finish line knew.

The only person who didn’t was Tessa herself.

Believing she had simply won the sprint for a podium position, she climbed off her bike and began congratulating those around her. Only when friends and family rushed over did she realise the truth.

She had won the race.

“I thought I’d won the sprint for the podium,” she said afterwards.
“Then they told me I’d actually won the race.”

The victory carried even greater significance given the challenges she had faced earlier in the season. After crashing in Belgium and breaking her collarbone, Neefjes had spent weeks away from racing.

Against the odds, she returned to claim one of the biggest victories of her career at The Gralloch.

Elizabeth Hermolle’s Breakthrough Ride

At the British Gravel Championships in Dalby Forest, Elizabeth Hermolle delivered one of the standout performances of the season.

It was only her third ever gravel race.

Just months earlier she had suffered three pelvic fractures and a fractured sacrum following a crash in Belgium. Yet in Dalby Forest she produced a ride defined by patience, pacing and determination.

Across four laps and 113 kilometres of demanding racing, Hermolle gradually closed the gap to the race leaders. With just three kilometres remaining she made the decisive move, overtaking Georgia Taylor-Brown and riding clear to claim the British title.

A remarkable comeback and the arrival of a rider firmly on the gravel radar.

Ethel Brokenshire’s Inspirational Season

One of the most inspiring stories from our events this year came from Ethel Brokenshire.

At 70 years old, Ethel lined up at The Gralloch determined to earn her place at the UCI Gravel World Championships. Like so many age-group athletes, she wasn’t racing for headlines. She was racing for the challenge, the qualification, and the chance to test herself on the world stage.

She succeeded.

After qualifying through The Gralloch, Ethel travelled to the World Championships and delivered an extraordinary ride, finishing on the podium in her age group against some of the world's best gravel racers.

Reflecting on the experience, she said:

“Competing is about pushing myself physically and mentally. The highlight was finding myself only minutes behind first and second after a three-and-a-half-hour race and standing on the podium with the best.”

Ethel’s story represents something special about gravel racing. While elite competition continues to grow, the heart of the sport still lies in its community, riders of all ages pushing their own limits and discovering what they are capable of.

And across our events at Red On Sports, there are countless women like Ethel doing exactly that.

Looking Ahead

Women’s cycling has made enormous strides in recent years, but the journey continues.

Participation in gravel racing is growing rapidly and the level of competition continues to rise with it. As organisers, our role is to ensure the platform evolves alongside the sport.

At Red On Sports and The Gralloch, we remain committed to building events where women’s racing can thrive, events that provide fair competition, world-class organisation and the visibility the athletes deserve.

Because when women’s racing grows stronger, the whole sport moves forward with it.

Happy International Women’s Day.