Alisha Wells
Women’s Racing Project (WRP) Team

Alisha Wells

Women’s Racing Project (WRP) Team

2024 is going to be MY year. To be fair though it hasn’t been the greatest start to the year… In late 2023 I was hit by a car whilst out on a training ride and suffered a fractured skull and a brain bleed. This by far was probably the scariest and hardest thing I’ve ever had to go through.  

Not even a week before the accident I was granted the opportunity to represent Australia in the Santos Tour Down Under and Cadel Evans Road Race. But that opportunity was unfortunately taken away from me post-accident as I had doctors’ orders to not touch the bike for at least 6 weeks, until headaches are gone. It took almost 8 weeks for me to have a headache free hour ride. It wasn’t just the headaches I was having trouble with; I was also experiencing vertigo for weeks after.  

From being on my bike almost every day to not doing anything that got my heart rate high for 8 weeks was so challenging for me, especially mentally. I wasn’t allowed to drive nor was I allowed to work for that period, which basically meant I was bedridden for 8 weeks – other than the odd little walk around the block here and there. Throughout the 8 weeks, my emotions were up and down – mainly down. I was so fixated on wanting to do well at Nationals, Tour Down Under and Cadel Evans Road race to just prove something to those people that doubted me, as well as prove something to myself. To know I can do this, that I can get a pro contract; I know I can, and I need these races to prove that.  

It took me a while to face the fact that it’s not the end of the world and there will be other opportunities. Such as the gig I got with an Under-23 UK team for the season, called Nouvelles Cycling. With 6-7 weeks of training under the belt I made the move over to the UK, in early March, to chase my goal of getting that pro contract. It was a very hard goodbye leaving my one and only behind, Craig Wiggins, but we both know this is what I have to do to get what I want.  

Once I stepped foot off the plane… it was like a punch in the face with how cold it was! I was starting to think I didn’t pack enough clothes as I had three layers on already and I was still cold. But anyway, I managed to get my bags and bike safely and meet my aunty for an hour drive to my new home for a while, in Newbury.  

The first few days I was wrapped up like a big fat burrito with the number of layers I had on and struggled with the motivation to get on the bike, as the weather wasn’t the sunniest of days either. The gloomy days definitely dimmed my mood, making me miss home that little bit more.  

After a few days of trying to dodge the rain, I finally found a groove and got my kms back up to speed. Especially with the help of my new team road bike, the Bianchi XR4. SPEED.  

I had my first race with the team on the 31st of March at Volta Limburg Classic in the Netherlands. It was definitely a race not for the faint hearted. With only 3 of us on the start line and being all our first race of the season, this race was all about getting a feel of Europe racing again. With SDworks – Protime and AG-Insurance Quickstep showing up… we were expected a very hard day out. After chaotic neutral with 120 people, the race had started straight away up the first climb of the day with SDworks – Protime on the front drilling it, it managed to come back all together over the top due to a block headwind slowing things down at the front. Coming into the second lap, SDworks – Protime did the same thing as the lap before, but they had the help of AG – Insurance Quickstep, this time and a group was clear. With a full SDworks – Protime team and a few AG – Insurance Quickstep riders out front, it was basically day done. They ended up pulling out 100+ riders before the finishing circuit due to almost getting a 10-minute gap on the peloton… almost lapping the field.  

Despite having a rough race and wishing I could do better; I am grateful for still being able to race and be surrounded by such amazing people. First race was always going to be hard but knowing the level I have to be at, gives me a lot more motivation to train harder during my training sessions.