Kate Veronneau in the Ride To Success Podcast (originally published in April 2024)

The driving force behind Tour de France Femmes avec ZwiftKate Veronneau's role in championing women's cyclingIn a conversation with Pedro Couto Lopes in the Ride To Success podcast, Kate shares her journey from collegiate basketball to competitive cycling and her vision for the future of women's cycling.Zwift's Role in Championing Women's CyclingUnder her guidance, Zwift sponsors premier events like the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift and Paris-Roubaix Femmes, significantly elevating women's cycling on the global stage. These partnerships increase visibility and underscore the importance of brand investment in the growth of women's cycling. Veronneau believes that sustained investment and media coverage are crucial for advancing gender parity in the sport."The races themselves have been absolutely incredible. Like just, you know, nail biting, so exciting, new breakout performances, heroic stages, everything that you'd want at Paris -Roubaix and at Tour de France, we're seeing on the women's side. And, you know, for those of us that have been long time fans of women's cycling, we've known it's there. The characters, the action, the talent. Those breakout performances, but nobody was able to see it."From the rise in e-sports to the growing demand for more inclusive cycling communities, Veronneau's work is shaping the future of the sport. She emphasizes the power of technology in creating safe and accessible spaces for women cyclists and urges the cycling industry to embrace diversity and innovation."It starts with investment. It really does. Because with that investment comes more visibility, which comes with higher valuation, which then attracts more investment. So I think that's what's really going to unlock opportunities for women cyclists to get into the sport and for women to pursue their dreams of becoming pros."Social Links to Ride to Success:Follow Pedro Couto Lopes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pedro-couto-lopes/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_ridetosuccess/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ridetosuccess/Thanks for listening#Cycling #Podcast #RideToSuccess