Lael Wilcox is an ultra-endurance bicycle racer from Alaska who’s set a LOT of records. Almost always the fastest woman, she’s competitive with the top men.
In fact, she doesn’t believe women are at any disadvantage in ultra-endurance sports. BUT most races are 90% men, 10% women.
Lael has a BIG YEAR planned for 2023 again racing the Tour Divide and Arizona Trail.
Her current goal is to encourage more girls and women to cycle. To that end, she documents her races even at risk of being disqualified as she was in the 2019 Tour Divide.
I Just Want To Ride – Lael Wilcox and the 2019 Tour Divide
Foolishly, many ultra-endurance races don’t allow video crews, considering them psychological support. That’s true, of course. BUT those races should encourage ALL to have media support people.
Click PLAY or watch her 2022 TED Talk on YouTube.
Instagram.
Alee Denham, from Australia, is one of my bikepacking gurus. A man.
He put together a page promoting women’s cycling resources:
Women Cycle The World – A handful of profiles on solo women travellers
Bicycle Travelling Women – More profiles on solo women cyclists
Bicycle Travelling Women – Facebook Group with 6000+ members
Solo Women Cyclist Interviews – A series of interesting interviews by Heike Pirngruber
These Solo Women Cyclists Have Epic Bicycle Touring Experience
AND he names names. These are some of the women he follows:
Ann Johansson – Mairawa – Cycled Sweden to Tajikistan and Sweden to Thailand
Anna Kitlar – Bikexploring – Cycled North America, Asia to Europe, Africa
Anne Westwards – Anne Westwards – 1.5 years through Asia and the Middle East
Astrid Domingo Molyneux – Cycling Full Circle – 2 years through Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America
Blanca Fernandez – Blanca on a Bike – Cycled London to Asia, now travelling Africa
Blandine – Kick The World – 5 years, 57000km, 37 countries
Barbara Graf – Caretaker – Long bicycle journeys all over the world
Carmen Mickley – Vegan Cycling – 41,250km, 31 countries, three continents, three years
Cinderella Servranckx – Cycling Cindy – 50000km across 45 countries
Dervla Murphy – Full Tilt – Ireland to India on a bicycle… in 1963! Check out her book on the experience.
Dorothee Fleck – Women’s Cycling Guide – 12 years, 98 countries, 180,000km by bike
Eleanor Moseman – Wander Cyclist – 2 years, 26,000km, China, Mongolia & Central Asia
Emily Chappell – That Emily Chappell – Europe to Asia, North America and currently focussing on ultra-endurance cycling
Ewa Świderska – Ewcyna – Travelling by bike around the world since 2013
Fredrika Ek – The Bike Ramble – 1000 days around the world, 51000km, 45 countries, 25 years old
Gaëlle Bojko – Bike to the Blocks – One year around Europe, Lake Baikal in Siberia (lots of snow!)
Genevieve Fortin – On The Bike Again – Has cycled dozens of countries since 2006
Heike Pirngruber – Push Bike Girl – Travelling by bike around the world since 2013, an amazing photographer
Helen Dainty – Hels on Wheels – Cycling for six years (so far!), three continents, 43 countries on the bike
Helen Lloyd – Helen’s Take On – 45 countries, 45,000km, four continents
Hera van Willick – Wild Awake – Cycled extensively in Europe, Asia, North & Central America
Hyojin “Jin” Jeong – Universe With Me – 80000km around the world since 2011
Ishbel Holmes – World Bike Girl – Cycled 20 countries over three years
Jeannette Gagne – A Voyage of Mysterious Me – Cycled to the “North Pole”, in Oceania and currently in Africa
Jenny Graham – JennyGrahamIs – Fastest woman to cycle around the world (124 days)
Joanna Kaszewiak – On By Ways – Europe to Asia by bike, bus and plane
Josie Dew – Josie Dew – 35 years of solo adventures, author of seven bicycle touring books
Jude & Astrid – Foons On Bikes – Australia to the UK, then the UK to South Africa
Juliana Buhring – Juliana Buhring – Around the world in 152 days, ultra-endurance extraordinaire
Kate Leeming – Breaking The Cycle – Lots of big bike expeditions since 1993
Lael Wilcox – Lael Wilcox – Extensive touring experience with her ex-partner, more recently has won ultra-cycling events solo
Leana Neimand – Leana Neimand – Around the world since 2007, 89 countries, seven continents
Loretta Henderson – Solo Female Cyclist – Cycled five continents, 51 countries, author of a book for solo women cyclists
Louise Sutherland – Louise Sutherland – Cycled 60,000 kilometres through 54 countries in the 1940s through to the 1970s
Lydia Leibbrandt – Lydia Leibbrandt – The Netherlands to China as a 20-year-old
Mareike Dorf – Mina Travels The World – Cycled Europe, the Americas, Asia, Australia and NZ
Marielle Jauring – The Biking Viking – 39000km across Australia, NZ, USA and Canada
Martina Gees – Colorfish – Five years, 25 countries, 60,000km in multiple continents
Mirjam Wouters – Cycling Dutch Girl – Cycling all over the world, now with a toddler!
Nicole Heker – Unlearning By Bike – 22 countries, 377 days, Thailand to Spain
Phoebe Tan – Riding Cyclette – Northern Europe to South East Asia
Sarah Outen – Sarah Outen – London to Russia’s far east, also long-distance ocean rower and kayaker
Snezana Radojicic – Snezana Radojicic – Cycling around the world since 2011
Tara Weir – Margo Polo – 21 countries, 37,000km, extensive travels through Asia in particular, but also Aus, NZ & N.America
Valentina Brunet – Valentina On Wheels – 25000km from Vietnam to Italy
More:
Anna Kortschak – A Thousand Turns – Alaska to Argentina (Europe too!)
Anna McNuff – Anna McNuff – Bolivia to Patagonia and 50 states of the USA
Anna-Luisa Becke – Radmaedchen – Canada to Guatemala, 10000km, 10 months
Cynthia Valladares – En Bici al Fin del Mundo – Ecuador to Patagonia as a 24-year-old
Hilde Green – Working On My Calves – 30,000km bike trip from Alaska to Argentina
Juli Hirata – Juli Hirata – Alaska to Argentina
Kate Rawles – Carbon Cycle Kate – Brazil to Patagonia on a bamboo bicycle she made herself
Leah Manning – Cycle South Chica – Cycled from the USA to Argentina
Maria Garus – Solo Woman Cyclist – Alaska to Argentina, 24000km, 33 months
Stefania Cioldi – She Is Around – Cycled about South America with a very cute cat
Sissi Korhonen – Strangerless – Argentina to Mexico over three years
Wiebke Lühmann – Pack and Tri – Colombia to Argentina over six months as a 23-year-old
Rick McCharles 