Image courtesy of Zwift

More than 2100 women signed up to this year’s Zwift Academy, an online programme of virtual social rides, races and structured cycling workouts designed to source new talent for the professional peloton. On offer: the dream prize of a professional cycling contract with pro women’s team CANYON//SRAM. 2100 women soon became three as the global cycling talent was whittled down via performance data, races and testing. And today, 28-year-old Medicine graduate and former triathlete Tanja Erath was awarded the coveted crown of Zwift Academy Winner 2017.

I caught up with Tanja over a call from her home in Dortmund, Germany to talk about her Zwift Academy win, her triathlon background, and what the future holds for her as a professional cyclist riding for CANYON//SRAM.