Helen Wyman leaves racing behind to focus on junior development
10 time British national champion will expand her Helen100 series of Jr. Women's cross races
Helen Wyman has announced that she will retire from racing after a long and accomplished cyclocross career.
In an open letter to her fans explaining the decision, Wyman explained the reasons driving her decision to stop racing.
“For the first time in my career I’ve had moments this season where I haven’t had the fight you need to compete with the very best. In an increasingly competitive sport you cannot achieve what you are capable of without huge desire.”
The popular British racer accumulated 77 race wins over the course of her career, including 10 British Elite National Championships. She won European Championships on two occasions, and placed third at Elite world championships in 2014 in Hoogerheide, the Netherlands.
Wyman twice appeared at Canada’s Paris to Ancaster event, winning the race in 2010. In 2018, she placed third in the 25th running of P2A, behind Canada’s Jenn Jackson and Kona’s Becca Fahringer.
For years, Wyman has been a vocal advocate for women’s cycling, and will remain so into her retirement from racing. She was on the UCI Cyclocross Committee for four years, arguing for equal prize money and equitable race times. Many of these, including her advocacy for junior women’s racing, are now being implemented.
Wyman will continue this work in her post-racing career. She has announced plans to expand her Helen 100 Trophy Junior Women’s races to four events for the 2019-2020 season. The Helen 100 race debuted at DVV Trofee in Loenhout last December.
“The Helen 100 project has big goals both at grass roots and elite level competition,” said Wyman. “I’ve really got ambitions for women’s youth categories in cross and as you may realize by now I have a certain quiet dogged determination that has already been focused in your direction. ”
Though she will no longer race herself, Wyman will remain involved with the Experza-Footlogix team she raced with throughout the 2018-2019 cyclocross season. She plans to continue on with the team as a coach and mentor to younger athletes.
