Interview Lizzie Stannard

After a complicated start of the season, Lizzie Stannard is on the way up, litteraly. In the Spanish race she's been climbing very well to great results just behind some of the best in the world. The 26 years old rider divides her time between 2 continents and therefore never sees Winter anymore. She grew up in the Valcar project, made a short but impactful passage at ZAAF and is ready now to chase her limits with Israel Premier Tech Roland. The young Australian with ties in New Zealand tells you about her European cycling life in this interview.

 

 

You & your brother Robert are both racing. Do you often exchange experiences?

Because we are both racing it does make it difficult to catch up, but in the off-season or towards the end of the season we will spend some time together, depending upon where in the world we each are!

You mainly showed your qualities as a stage racer. Is it a domain that you would like to keep focusing on in the future?

I think this maybe to do with the fact that I have really just had lots of opportunities to race some of the bigger stage races. I still have so much to improve on but next year I’d like to be able to target the hillier one-day races. I quite enjoyed the few Belgian Classics I did get the chance to race this year!

In 2021, you made your European debut for Valcar. What made that this team could develop so many talents?

I think it was in part due to the way the team grew with its riders over the years. I feel very privileged that they took me into the family in 2021/2022 and allowed me to learn so much alongside some of the best riders in the world.

 This season, you were innately part of the Zaaf team. How did the transfer to your current team go? Was it hard to step in during the season?

The initial transfer was in part due to the hard work of the TCA in collaboration with the UCI, and also with the other ZAAF riders. There is still work ongoing with the TCA in helping us recover what is owed to us by ZAAF. My agent was also instrumental in finding me a lifeline, which turned out to be IPTR.

Israel Premier Tech Roland were really fantastic in helping me both start racing again immediately but also not pressuring me to perform right after what was a difficult seven months. I was also part of the B&B Hotels team that never eventuated and so it has been a long and stressful period.

Because it took so much energy to eventually get to a start line in April, I think once I started the race (Amstel Gold) I was mentally absolutely exhausted, and it’s taken a little while to find my legs again.

Hot temperatures are common in more & more races in recent years. How do you deal with it ahead of and during races?

Definitely being able to train in the heat prior to the race is a big advantage - I try to do this if possible. Pre-cooling before the race is also really important and same goes for keeping cool with ice socks and cool liquids during the event. And I always have electrolytes on hand, before and afterwards!

 

 

Your best years are ahead of you. What would you like to achieve in the coming years?

Given the circumstances of my last few months I think I have had to recalibrate what is a realistic goal for me, and so first and foremost I would like to be able to establish a career in this sport and be a consistent and reliable rider.

You spend most of your season overseas. In which periods of the year are you in your native Australia? How do you deal with the distance?

I’d usually spent the November-February period split between Australia and New Zealand. My parents live in New Zealand and I grew up there, but I have a lot of close friends and family in Australia.

I definitely have made a hobby out of long-distance telephone calls! Last year I don’t think I would have survived if I couldn’t pick up the phone and chat to my friends for an hour or two. The time difference makes it more difficult for sure!

Did you have any idols in the sport before you started racing yourself?

Actually no, and I’m not sure I do now. I think I am most inspired by my peers and especially the strong women in my life - whether they are athletes, engineers, mums, students, younger or older.