To destress from a season of racing up hills, newly crowned British hill climb champion Illi Gardner booked a holiday to Mallorca.
“I’m just trying to enjoy it a bit more, rather than worry about training too much,” the 23-year-old told Cycling Weekly on Tuesday evening. “I’m excited to go up the mountains.”
The following day, she sends a nonchalant email to say she’s bagged the QOM on Sa Calobra, the Spanish island’s foremost climb, completing the 9.44km Strava segment in 29 minutes. So much for a relaxing holiday, some might say. But when sprinting up hills is your life blood, as it is Gardner’s, this is what winding down looks like.
The Cardiff-born cyclist’s list of achievements grows more impressive every year. On Saturday, she stormed to a maiden victory in the UK National Hill Climb Championships, held in her native Wales. Having won all nine events she raced in the run-up, Gardner went into Nationals as one of the big favourites.
“I got pretty nervous. I was quite stressed out for a while,” she says. “Last year the nerves got to me a bit and I didn’t have a very good ride, so I was worried the same would happen. It went a bit better this year.”
On the day, Gardner stopped the clock at 6-46, making her the only woman to go under seven minutes on the mile-long Old Shoe climb.
Her success came just three months after she shaved 30 minutes off her own Everesting world record, which now stands at 8-03-29. “At the end of [my second effort] this year, I was like, that was good enough.” she says. “Now I’m sitting here, I’m like, oh, I think I could have gone a bit faster. But I think for a while that’ll do for me.”
Elsewhere in her trophy cabinet, the Welshwoman boasts Strava QOMs on two of France’s most iconic ascents: Alpe d’Huez and Mont Ventoux. She’s now turning her attention to her “long bucket list” of climbs, which includes the Col du Tourmalet, the Col du Galibier and Italy’s mighty Stelvio.
“I like that zone of being really on the limit and just nudging it off and seeing how far you can push yourself,” Gardner says. “That place you’re in where you’re kind of dying, but not quite dying.”
(Image credit: Andy Jones)
Spending her childhood in California, Gardner grew up dreaming of becoming a sprinter. “I remember going on family cycle rides and my dad would have to drag me out and talk me up hills. I didn’t take long to fall in love with it.
“It’s such a good stress relief,” she…