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Michaela Drummond: My Journey From The Boards Of Cambridge to the Roads Of Europe

To think that I left New Zealand nearly seven months ago blows my mind. It’s been a pretty crazy experience so far and it has definitely had its ups and downs.

The trip started when I was in Cambridge, and I had just found out I was made a reserve for the 2020 Olympic Games. Of course, this was a huge blow in my career. My motivation was low, and I knew something needed to change because I just wasn’t happy and the thought of being on the track another four years to Paris… Honestly, I couldn’t think of anything worse at that point. 

After conversations with Cycling New Zealand coaches and High Performance Director, I made the decision to leave the track for a while and begin a new chapter on the road. Keeping in mind I still want to do track! Let’s just call it a break. I wanted to get fitter and stronger after many disappointing races in the Madison, where I lacked the endurance needed. I also wanted to grow as a person in my personal life and start taking control of my future more.  

Lucky for me I have a boyfriend in Portugal, and I would be lying if I said this didn’t influence me to head to Europe. I was lucky enough to live with him while I went in and out of some races hoping to make an impression on a team for the 2021 season.

Michaela’s New home in Porto, Portugal

It was around this time that I also had to say goodbye to Alex Greenfield my coach at the time. Who was also heading in a different direction in her career. This was really hard as she had helped me so much over the past couple years and it felt like things weren’t going my way, but I believe everything happens for a reason and I was very grateful to have come across Patrick and Tammy Harvey who have coached some amazing athletes into the world tour scene. So, I was pretty excited to come on board with them coming into the end of 2020.

Racing In Italy With The Help Of BePink At the End of 2020

I also got picked up by an Italian team, BePink that would give me the opportunity to race this year on the road in some big races. Things started to fall into place, and I felt on track again in my career.

When things seemed to be taking a look upwards, I caught COVID-19, which thankfully I didn’t get horrible symptoms. It was three weeks of forced time off the bike at home. Which I actually saw the positive of as I got to spend some real quality time with my boyfriend who had also tested positive. 

Chilling Post COVID Recovery in Madeira With Rui

I have absolutely no regrets so far and I’ve been loving my training and racing. I have made some massive improvements already and the year has only just begun. I just did my first race last weekend and I’ve always classed myself as a sprinter that can’t climb but after this race, I was pretty stoked to see how much easier it was for me to stay with the top girls up the climbs. I know there is more to come and I’m excited to really get amongst the action at Strade Bianche this weekend. I know it will take me time to learn the ropes of European racing, but I know with patience and consistency I will slowly start to get the hang of it. 

Every decision that was really hard to make seemed to be the most rewarding I have made, and I am proud of where I have come as an athlete and a person. I just want to keep learning and give this year my best shot and take any opportunity that presents itself. I’m loving my new journey and I can’t wait to share it and hopefully inspire others along the way.

Strade Bianche Recon – Ready To Rip Into It
March 5, 2021ByIn,

An Instant When Everything Changed

We all love the freedom of riding our bikes and nothing beats the thrill off a fast descent. For one of our riders everything changed on the 27th Feb, when descending one of his favorite local mountains he lost control into the path of an oncoming truck.

This is Joe’s story, how the events unfolded on that day, the luck that saved him, the challenges he has faced and how it is about small gains and literally small steps.

Now it is about one day being able to ride a bike again and Joe will!

I went up the Remarkables and broke a rear spoke at the cattle stop and so changed it at home then went up Coronet Peak.

On the way up the second time it started drizzling.

Coming down near the bottom, round that sharp left hander I saw the truck and my rear wheel gave out. I started sliding towards the front of the truck so I put my elbow down to swing myself around and luckily the truck pulled to the left. I slid down the side of the truck and hit the 3rd or 4th wheel down.

A split second after I hit the wheel the truck came to a stop. I would’ve been doing 50+ k’s and the only thing that stopped me was my shin and foot. cracked the carbon in my shoe in 3 places and tore out the inside of the tongue. I Dislocated my knee which sliced the artery behind my knee in 2 so there was no blood supply.

They said I was lucky that I was so fit as my artery just clamped shut so there was not a lot of internal bleeding.

I completely tore my ACL and PCL. With a 10% chance of losing your leg from knee dislocations I was stage 2 meaning time critical (or danger to life) so I was flown to the hospital in Dunedin and went into surgery pretty much straight away to reconnect my artery.

A major problem was the muscle that lifts my foot. I was taken to theatre every second day or so to see if it was healing or getting worse. On my 5th surgery on day 8 they had to remove this muscle as it had died.

A week later I went in for the 6th time to stitch it up and put the skin graft on my foot.

An overdose on synthetic morphine on day 9 wasn’t fun to say the least.

Day 21 I lifted my leg off the bed for the first time. It took 30 seconds but got it off the bed an inch.

23 days after my accident I came home and I’m now on crutches and weight bearing.

I got my last lot of stitches out today. knee surgery is whenever I can get it done and after that I have another surgery where they said they will graft a muscle from my thigh to my lower leg to maybe lift my foot again. Or they will have to fix my foot in place.

You always hear people getting into accidents like these, I never believed one would happen to me.

My goal is to ride a bike again. Nothing else.

We know Joe is made off strong stuff. He is determined, he is passionate and he is a fighter. Joe has the support of a fantastic local family and we hope to do what we can to aid Joe in getting back on the bike again.

April 5, 2020ByIn, ,
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