We Came to Cheer. Mont Ventoux Came Alive.

We knew The Cheer Squad was going to be good.

We knew there would be colour, music, cowbells and a whole lot of cheering.

But we had absolutely no idea just how special the day would become.

On Friday 7 August, around 150 people scaled Mont Ventoux to the 5km to go point to join us for The Cheer Squad. They came from all over, in groups and alone, as cycling communities, content creators, ambassadors, friends and people who simply wanted to experience the magic of cheering for the world's best female cyclists on one of cycling's most iconic mountains.

And from the moment people started arriving, the mountain came alive.

Why we do The Cheer Squad

The Cheer Squad exists because we believe women's cycling deserves to be celebrated.

Not quietly. Not from a distance. Loudly, proudly and together.

We wanted to create something that brings the professional peloton and the everyday cyclist closer together. A place where you can show up, make some noise, feel part of the race and remind the riders that there is a huge community behind them.

Because the roadside matters.

The people cheering matter.

And when women see other women taking up space in cycling, whether that's racing at the highest level or simply making their way up a mountain with a cowbell in hand, it helps create a sport where more women feel that they belong.

That is why we cheer.

And on Mont Ventoux, we cheered very loudly indeed.

Welcome to 5km to go

There was painting on the road, flags flying and people everywhere wearing their The Cheer Squad merch.

Cowbells were armed and ready. In fact, some people injured themselves ringing their cowbells so hard.

The tunes were blaring thanks to our friend Paul, who was accompanying the grlpck up the mountain, and the roadside anthems were exactly what you would expect from The Cheer Squad.

Freed From Desire, a classic.

Vengaboys Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom!!

And, of course, the Dutch fan favourite:

Links Rechts.

The road was populated by fans and everyone making their way up the mountain received a cheer.

Nobody was getting past without us making some noise.

And a special shoutout has to go to the five year old who made it up the mountain faster than any of us could have done.

Then the race arrived

When it came to the race, we had Dutch podcast La Koers present and reporting live from The Cheer Squad, equipped with Race TV so we could anticipate the riders coming.

We knew we were going to see something special.

We just didn't know how special this stage was going to be.

Kasia took on the mountain at an insane pace, with Demi and Marlen in hot pursuit.

Suddenly, the race we'd been watching on the screen was right there in front of us.

You could see the pain, effort and suffering on the faces of the riders as they came past.

Some were so fatigued that not even our cheers could raise their spirits.

But others visibly rejoiced in the roadside party. You could see them respond to the noise, the flags, the music and the people cheering their names.

And that is when you really understand why we do this.

For some riders, perhaps it was just a few seconds of noise as they battled their way up the mountain.

For others, it genuinely felt like it made a difference.

And then there was Alison Jackson, whose dream was made true with the delivery of a burger on the mountainside.

Because of course it was.

Everyone was invited

But the most incredible thing about The Cheer Squad wasn't just what happened when the peloton came through.

It was who was there.

There were individuals who had travelled to the mountain alone, not knowing anybody, but who came ready for the party.

There were women's cycling communities including Cyclits, grlpck and Female Cycling Force to name a few.

There were content creators and ambassadors from other brands who came to experience the magic for themselves.

And there was a special stop from Matt Stephens, who helped show The Cheer Squad to the international cycling community at large.

For one day, all of these different people became one big roadside community.

You didn't need to know anyone before you arrived.

You just needed to be there.

And that is something we love about The Cheer Squad.

This is what women's cycling looks like

The day was incredible.

Not just because of the race, or because we were standing on Mont Ventoux, or because we got to watch some of the best riders in the world take on one of cycling's most famous climbs.

It was incredible because of the connection.

The feeling that we were all part of something together.

Since the event, our social feeds have been flooded with content from the day. Photos, videos, stories and moments from people who experienced The Cheer Squad in their own way.

And when you look through it all, that is what stands out.

Joy.

Connection.

Celebration.

That is what we wanted The Cheer Squad to be.

A place where the professional peloton and the everyday cycling community could meet on the side of the road.

A place where women could come together to celebrate women in cycling.

A place where cheering isn't something you do quietly from the sidelines, but something you throw your whole self into.

We'll see you in 2027

The Cheer Squad is coming back in 2027, and we're already making plans for where we'll take it next. But The Cheer Squad has never been something we can create alone. It only comes alive when you show up.

So wherever we end up next year, we want you there. Bring your friends, your cycling crew, your cowbell, your loudest voice or simply yourself. Come and stand on the roadside, make some noise and be part of the celebration.

Keep an eye on our channels and subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to hear where we're heading next.

The Cheer Squad is an IRIS x HeyHeydeHaas creation, supported by Zwift.

Photocredits: Sami Sauri