With the dominance of men in cycling over the years, the rise of women’s profile in the sport is not a minute too soon. Young women and girls have the role models appearing now that were harder to find in the past in many aspects of cycle sport, and particularly in the 3 Peaks. The first woman to complete the race came 15 years into its life, but since then the tide has slowly turned. Ruth Gamwell has been there more than any woman rider.
The winner in 1996, Ruth has continued to plug away at the race year after year in a love that only a few of us can truly appreciate. I chat to Ruth about her history in and memories of the race since the early 1990s, and was genuainely touched by her modest and self-effacing approach to a race that clearly sucked her in for good.
