Fran's in great company after inspiring ladies to cycle
A plus-sized cyclist has been named one of the country's most important riders thanks to her work inspiring women.
Fran Pearson, who lives near Shrewsbury, is in Cycling UK’s 100 Women in Cycling for what she's done to encourage ladies to get on their bikes.
She joins TV and film actress Maxine Peake, BBC Radio 4 presenter, Melanie Abbott and gold medal winners Katie Archibald and Elinor Barker in the cycling charity’s list recognising significant achievements in promoting women’s cycling.
Even though Fran volunteers at a bike hub, she is a complete cycling beginner, her previous riding experience was limited to gentle rides. But after she saw a woman fat-shamed in a sporty Facebook group, she decided that no-one should be made to feel that they do not belong in a sports environment because of their size.
As one of Cycling UK's digital champions promoting women's cycling, Fran wants to promote a plus-size positive body image and promote women in all sports that are often male dominated. She’s planning to complete her first ever long-distance trail on a bike this summer, hopefully accompanied by her children, if she can convince them.
Sarah Mitchell, Cycling UK chief executive, said: “Congratulations to Fran for making it into our 100 Women in Cycling in 2021. It’s an incredible achievement and testimony to the tireless work she’s done to raise the profile of women’s cycling.
“Every woman on our list is a powerful ambassador for women’s cycling, and many have done outstanding work supporting women to cycle during lockdown. But sadly, women remain underrepresented when it comes to everyday cycling.
“During this year’s festival we’re asking every woman who already cycles to find just one more woman they can help and inspire to get on their bike.”
The Women’s Festival of Cycling features a range of virtual events, local group rides and a social media challenge asking women to share pictures of their "bicycle face".
Find out about events in your area and to see a full list of nominees, visit cyclinguk.org/womensfestival
