As we head into the final week before the inaugural Women’s Tour of Scotland, we spent a bit of time speaking with Olympic champion and MBE, Katie Archibald.
Scimitar are delighted to be the Official Sportswear Partner of the Tour, and working alongside Katie and some of cycling’s iconic British female stars to promote the event as a huge step forward for women’s sport in terms of pay & coverage.
We took the time to ask Katie some questions ahead of the event, which gets underway this Friday (9th August).
So Katie, how are you feeling for the event? Are you as prepared as you’d like to be?
KA: “I feel excited, but I’m not going in with high expectations. I think I’ll head up a few days early and stay at my mum’s house in Milngavie to recon some of Stage 2.”
How do you feel about taking part in the first Women’s Tour of Scotland?
KA: “I’m proud to be riding for my home nation in the inaugural tour. Hopefully there will be many future editions and I’ll always get to remember how special the first one was.”
We are providing recycled leader’s jerseys for the Tour; a first at professional level. What are your thoughts on our innovative approach? How did it feel to wear?
KA: “I’ve tried on one of the jerseys and it’s crazy to think it’s made with recycled plastic bottles. It’s so soft! I really like the initiative.”
The women’s Tour of Scotland is all about empowerment. What would you say to women and young girls out there that don’t have the confidence to give cycling a go?
KA: “I hope the race inspires women to get riding but I also hope it’s entertains and thrills them with some competitive and fast racing. My advice to anyone interested in cycling is to try getting out with your local club.”
Finally, in the days leading up to a Tour event like this one, what would a professional’s diet and training program look like?
KA: “The biggest change leading up to the Tour is that I’ll miss a gym session so I’m a bit fresher. I’ll still be eating as I would normally, trying to get 20g of protein in every 4 hours, and riding with bananas in my back pocket.”
Here’s a little insight into Katie and her journey so far. Her cycling career began in 2011 when she starting to ride competitively, and she was part of the team who smashed the 4km team pursuit World Record with a time of 4 minutes & 10.236 seconds, set at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Her current 3km individual pursuit personal best is 3 minutes & 24.119 seconds, set at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.
We can’t wait to see Katie and the other pros in action, and to see our recycled leader’s jersey in use for the first time. The question is, who will be wearing it first?
Our recycled leader’s jersey is the first in UCI history to be made with recycled plastic bottles; a feat we are extremely proud of.
If you’re interested in exploring the official merchandise for The Women’s Tour of Scotland, which is also made with 100% recycled polyester, click here.
We’ll see you at the Start Line on Friday, where we hope to bring you regular updates and live content behind-the-scenes!
