Spotlight On…….. Natarsha Wendt aka @supergal007

  • What made you get into cycling?

I got into cycling when I first took up triathlon in 2007, soon discovered that it was my best leg out of the three. Once I learnt how to ride a road bike, I love the freedom it granted me.·

  • What has been your proudest/best cycling moment?

I have two, completing the Roth bike leg in 2014 in 6:36. My fastest time in an ironman. Secondly and more recently, climbing Sa Colabra in Mallorca. What an epic climb and descent! ·

  • What has been the biggest challenge you have faced?

The biggest challenge I have faced with cycling is sometimes my lack of mental toughness. I put such high expectations on myself and then when my legs don’t want to go sometime, my mind gives in and I give up. ·

  • Who is your inspiration, and why?

This will sound narcissistic and I don’t mean it to but my inspiration is me. The reason why it is me, is I feel that if I cannot inspire myself to live and breathe what I preach and set my goals for then how I can inspire others an at the end of the day, that is my ultimate goal. To help inspire others to simply give it a go. ·

  • What are your future goals?

My future goal in relation to cycling is to increase my average kmph to 35kph and also work toward a 5:40 ironman cycle leg time. ·

  • What would be your one piece of essential advice to someone looking to start up cycling?

I would have to say the one piece of kit to consider when starting out is the saddle! Without the right saddle, you are less likely to ride if it is not comfortable. I love my ISM Adamo Prologue saddle. Best in the business in my opinion.·

  • What is your favourite piece of cycling kit?

My favourite piece of cycling kit outside my bike of course is my helmet. My helmet is a Specialized Evade. Great aero road helmet with plenty of ventilation. Served me well at Roth last year when 20% of the field dropped out due to the heat.·

  • What’s your favourite thing about cycling?

My favourite thing about cycling is the freedom that it gives you, it is simply you and the road. ·

  • As it’s Women in Sport Week what do you think is the biggest challenge for women cyclists, & how do you overcome them?

I think the biggest challenge for women cyclists is exposure and funding. Since social media has taken off and more and more people accepting and using it, the likes of Twitter is really helping promote female cyclists and cycling however more can be done. It would be great if women cycling could be given the same accolade that the men receive. I think in time all things may just become equal. After all there are far more women than there are men.