Two Lewisham-based women have been recognised by Cycling UK as part of its annual 100 Women in Cycling List.

Elisabetta Motta, 34, and Sarah King, 30, were recognised for their inspirational work encouraging other women to experience the joy of cycling.

While Motta initially took up cycling as a cheaper way to commute, after joining Penge Cycle Club, she realised it was her “ticket to freedom.”

She told Eastlondonlines: “It was hard to find a club that would accept me with [my old bike] but Penge has always been a very accepting space.” 

Motta eventually gained coaching qualifications and now works as a women’s cycling development officer at Herne Hill Velodrome, where she coaches sessions with the aim of improving female participation in the sport across the UK.

Sarah Mitchell, Cycling UK’s chief executive, said: “in the UK, substantially fewer women ride than men. It’s our mission to reverse that and see equal levels of cycling across all genders.”

King, formerly a competitive cyclist, founded LDN-Academy, a women’s road cycling team with the motto, “happy head, happy legs.”

She added: “I want to share the knowledge I’ve gained, alongside our mentoring programme, to strengthen the women’s racing scene in the UK and keep more women racing bikes.”

Dr Fiona Spotswood, a Professor at the University of Bristol was also listed as one of the 100 Women in Cycling this year. She said: “[The] initiative showcases the role women have to play in fostering a more inclusive culture across cycling”.