'I had no idea what I was in for' – Tracey Gaudry looks back on a crucial moment in Melbourne to Warrnambool history in this 'Wheel Life 3' book extract

Tracey Gaudry, a prominent figure in Australian cycling, is reflecting on a "crucial moment" from her career at the Melbourne to Warrnambool race, as detailed in an extract from the new book, 'Wheel Life 3'. Gaudry, a two-time Olympian and former UCI Vice-President, recounts her experience in the iconic Australian classic, a race historically dominated by men, highlighting a pivotal point in its long history.

This retrospective on Gaudry's Warrnambool experience is significant, not merely as a personal anecdote, but as a reminder of the historical gender disparities in professional cycling. The Melbourne to Warrnambool, one of the world's oldest one-day races, only introduced a women's event in 2021. Gaudry's reflections from a time when women's participation was an anomaly underscore the slow, arduous path towards greater equity, offering context to the current push for more integrated and equally valued women's racing calendars.

Gaudry's "no idea what I was in for" sentiment perfectly encapsulates the pioneering spirit, and perhaps the institutional blindness, that defined women's racing for far too long.