Lifestyle

9 Significant Photos in the History of Women’s Cycling

Photo moments that show how the bicycle paved the way for women's emancipation and how it went on to shape women's cycling.

Equal pay for the women of CycloCross

Female cyclist in rational dress from 1889. Source: http://1890swriters.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/1890s-womens-fashion.html
The Safety Cycle: Photograph: London Stereoscopic Company Getty Images
Cambridge students hang an effigy of a woman riding a bike in protest against university admission. Photograph: Hulton Archive/ Getty Images
Source: http://www.brainpickings.org/2012/01/03/donts-for-women-on-bicycles-1895/
Two suffragettes on bicycles in 1914. Photograph: Corbis
Beryl Burton
Connie Carpenter-Phinney wins the LA Olympics Road Race in 1984. Photo sourced from http://pages.rapha.cc/
Helen Wyman wins the 2013 Koppenbergcross. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images Afp/AFP/Getty Images
Photo: http://www.womenstour.co.uk/

Equal pay for the women of CycloCross

This is a photo of cyclocross champion, Helen Wyman winning the Koppenbergcross in 2013.

This event is significant as it was the first cycling race that offered equal prize money for both men and women. Helen Wyman commented:

It is a very significant moment for women’s cycling. This allows women to make one step up the ladder towards equality

Cyclocross is moving forwards – the UCI recently provided a massive pay rise to the women racing the CX World Cup, and added an under 23 category so 18-year-olds don’t have to race with the likes of Wyman and Marianne Vos. You can read more about that story in our interview with Helen here.