Orla's Story: Amateur to Pro Cyclist in Just Two Years
Here at BECYCLE we encourage you to workout not just because it's good for your body, but because you love the ride! This is why we were so inspired by the story of Dublin native and pro cyclist Orla Walsh. Some of you were lucky enough to meet her at Ride & Revive Mallorca this year, and others may have read about her in this article on how she went from amateur to pro cyclist in only 2 years!
When Orla's dad gave her his old road bike in 2015 so she could commute to university, Orla was appalled at the thought of being a "lycra-clad idiot." Needless to say, after her first ride she was hooked. She joined a cycling club, found a coach, and started to compete against some of the best female cyclists in Ireland!
She was making it to the podium in nearly every race until one day, during an indoor training session, she crashed. Even though Orla broke her left clavicle, she was determined to keep cycling. She even fashioned a support system on her indoor bike using an ironing board so she could still spin her legs without putting pressure on her shoulder! Because of all of her hard work, Orla had a speedy recovery and went on to win several national championships during the 2017 season.
© Ride Shimano
We love Orla’s story because it proves that cycling is so much more than a good workout. It makes you feel strong, powerful, and pushes you to become the best version of yourself. Orla's life was changed when she took a chance by hopping on a bike, and we hope that you can experience the same benefits from our RIDE classes!
This read + recap was inspired by the article: Ireland's Orla Walsh Goes From Beginner to National 'Talent Transfer' Rider by Ride Shimano