When I raced professionally, I always remembered the people standing on the side of the road.

The cheers only lasted a few seconds, but they stayed with me long after the race was over.

They reminded me that what we were doing mattered.

Years later, I realised those moments weren’t only important for the riders. They were just as important for the people cheering.

Watching the world’s best athletes race can inspire someone to ride a bike for the first time. It can remind someone why they fell in love with cycling. It can make a complete stranger feel like they belong to something bigger than themselves.

That’s why we created The Cheer Squad.

Not as an event.

Not as a marketing campaign.

But as a place where the professional peloton and the grassroots cycling community come together.

A place where everyone is welcome.

Where you don’t need to know anyone before you arrive.

Where you’ll probably leave having met someone new.

Where clubs, brands, media and communities stand shoulder to shoulder because, for one day, what unites us is far more important than what makes us different.

The Cheer Squad isn’t about IRIS.

It’s about creating the kind of cycling community we want to be part of.

One that celebrates women loudly.

One that welcomes everyone.

One that believes the riders inspiring us deserve to feel that inspiration reflected back at them.

If enough of us keep showing up—not for a brand, but for each other—we won’t just create an unforgettable atmosphere on the mountain.

We’ll help build a stronger future for women’s cycling.

We’ll see you on the mountain.

Iris
Founder of IRIS