I’m always looking to the women of cycling for inspiration, and I’ve been heartened to see that for a growing number of them, switching disciplines — from road to gravel, track to cyclocross, BMX to mountain biking — has been a catalyst for growth, joy, and even renewed success.
So whether motivated by burnout, curiosity, or the simple desire to feel something new, these riders show that reinvention can be the most potent form of progress. Let’s look at what powered the switch and how their stories might help drive you to follow suit.
Why women are embracing change
Women’s cycling has grown rapidly over the past decade, with more races, media coverage, and opportunities across disciplines than ever before. But this expansion has also revealed how interconnected the different branches of cycling really are.
The lines between road, gravel, mountain, and cyclocross are blurring, and many of the sport’s top female riders are taking advantage of it. The skill sets transfer more naturally than people expect; the endurance of a roadie helps in gravel ultras, while the handling and explosiveness of a cyclocross rider translate beautifully to criteriums.
At the same time, switching disciplines can be a powerful mental reset. For some athletes, a new challenge reignites their motivation; for others, it’s about reclaiming the fun that first brought them to the bike.
As Kasia Niewiadoma, who found renewed joy in gravel racing alongside her road career, recently said: “Sometimes you just need to ride without expectations, to remember why you love it.”
From road to gravel: Finding freedom beyond the peloton
The road-to-gravel pipeline has been one of the most visible shifts in recent years, and not just among men. Riders like Tiffany Cromwell, Amity Rockwell, and Sofia Gomez Villafañe have shown that gravel can be both a competitive and liberating space for women looking to redefine success.
Gravel offers a different rhythm, no radios, no team tactics dictating every move, and a deep sense of community and grassroots development. For Cromwell, who has spent over a decade in the WorldTour, the move to gravel wasn’t a step down but a sideways expansion. She has described gravel racing as “more personal,” noting that riders are out there reading the course, their bodies, and the elements.
From mountain to road: Mastering the art of precision
The transition from mountain biking to road cycling might seem like moving from chaos to choreography. Still, for riders like Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and Evie Richards, it’s proof that technical skill and explosive power can translate beautifully to tarmac.
Ferrand-Prévot, one of the most versatile cyclists of her generation, has not only conquered multiple disciplines but also redefined what’s possible in women’s cycling. She’s been a world champion on the road, in cyclocross, and on the mountain, often in the same season. Her story highlights a rare adaptability: the ability to read different kinds of terrain, to stay calm under pressure, and to find beauty in change rather than fear it.
Evie Richards followed a similar arc, shining as a mountain biker and later showing her strength in cyclocross. Each switch seemed to feed the other. As she recently said, “I’m a different rider than who I was four years ago.”
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Cyclo-cross: The perfect bridge
As Evie’s story highlights, if there’s a discipline that connects them all, it’s cyclocross. Short, muddy, and fiercely tactical, it demands technical agility, explosive bursts, and mental grit. Many of today’s top road and gravel riders, from Lucinda Brand to Marianne Vos, honed their racing instincts in the winter cross season.
For women, especially, cyclocross has been a proving ground. The races are shorter, the pay gap is smaller, and the spotlight is shared more equally with the men’s events. It’s where many riders learned not just how to suffer but how to adapt.
Vos, perhaps cycling’s greatest chameleon, has built a career on moving seamlessly between road, track, mountain, and cyclocross, collecting world titles across them all. Her consistency across terrain is a lesson in evolution and the fact that each discipline teaches you something different, patience, explosiveness, tactics, and together they make you complete.
The mental side of reinvention and why it matters
While physical adaptability plays a role, switching disciplines is just as much a psychological journey. There’s humility in starting again and being the new one in the field after years of experience elsewhere. That willingness to learn, to be curious and open, is often what separates those who thrive from those who struggle. It’s also what keeps the sport moving forward.
Every time a female cyclist takes the leap into a new discipline, it chips away at the old notion that you have to stay in one lane to excel. It opens doors for others to do the same, and builds bridges between cycling communities that have too often been siloed.
It also helps diversify the narrative. When a rider like Ferrand-Prévot wins world titles in three disciplines, or Kasia Niewiadoma embraces gravel as a way to reconnect with her joy on the bike, they model a version of success rooted in sustainability, balance, and love for the sport itself.
And at the grassroots level, this ripple effect is tangible. Amateur cyclists are signing up for their first gravel events after years on the road, or joining local cyclocross leagues in the off-season. The message is clear: you don’t have to start over to start something new.
A season for change
One of the most beautiful aspects of cycling is that it’s constantly evolving (in fact, it doesn’t know how to stand still). Seasons shift, formats evolve, and riders find new ways to express themselves. It’s about trusting that what you’ve learned can carry you forward, even on unfamiliar ground. It’s about rediscovering joy in challenge, and redefining success on your own terms.
So whether it’s a gravel ride that calls your name or a muddy cross course daring you to try, take it as a sign. In cycling — as in life — change might just be where the magic happens.
