The Woman Helping Change Women’s Cycling

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Kate Veronneau has helped shape women’s cycling from nearly every angle, as an athlete, industry leader, storyteller, and advocate for getting more women on bikes.

In this episode of Bonk Babes, Kate shares how she went from playing basketball to racing professionally, eventually joining Zwift and helping launch Tour de Femme. She takes us behind the scenes of the event’s early days, the growth of virtual racing, and the role community and storytelling play in making cycling feel more welcoming and accessible.

Kate also discusses the progress women’s cycling has made, the challenges the industry still needs to address, and what she believes will create lasting change. From representation and participation to personal style and branding, this conversation explores what the future of women’s cycling could look like and who gets to be part of it.

Topics include:

• Kate’s transition from basketball to professional cycling • Her journey into racing and the cycling industry • Joining Zwift and developing her role within the company • The origin and launch of Tour de Femme • How virtual racing helped connect and inspire women • Increasing women’s participation in cycling • Representation, storytelling, and visibility in the sport • Building more inclusive cycling communities • The future of Tour de Femme and women’s cycling • Kate’s style, outfits, and personal branding

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Kate’s background in cycling 02:02 Transitioning from basketball to cycling 04:04 Getting into racing and competing in the United States 05:59 Joining Zwift and creating her role 10:06 The beginning of Tour de Femme and virtual racing 15:00 Organizing the first Tour de Femme in 2022 20:06 Tour de Femme’s impact on women’s participation 25:01 The growth of women’s cycling and industry changes 29:58 Future plans for Tour de Femme 40:01 Kate’s style, outfits, and personal branding 43:01 Choosing women from any era for a dinner discussion 44:56 Why storytelling and representation matter in cycling