Tuesday, 19 March 2024
News

Ella Cycling Tips chop editor’s role as industry support for women’s cycling lacks

The editor of Ella Cycling Tips, the women’s cycling offshoot of Cycling Tips, has written of “lacking” investments by the bike industry in women’s sport forcing the hand of the publisher, which has eliminated the lead role.

Though intending to carry the brand forward in name, the position of editor was deemed “unsustainable”, wrote Anne Marije Rook, who commended the publisher for its investment in women’s cycling.

“Awareness is the first step to progress and I love the discourse around rider salaries, sexist advertising and podium girls, and the demands for more live racing,” wrote Marije Rook last week.

“Rather than seeing it as a disappointment, however, I’m trying to see Ella as a spark. A spark for more visibility, publicity and discourse about women’s cycling across sports media and the cycling industry.”

Started in 2015, the women’s cycling portal was one of few dedicated sites shining a light on the sports side, while also “getting more women stoked on bikes,” in the words of Marije Rook.

“I commend Wade Wallace in taking the initiative to launch a women’s publication, and hope a financially sustainable revival of the Ella brand is in its future,” she added, before thanking the women’s pro peleton for taking the time to let their stories be told via the Ella platform.