Inaugural SVCF Academy Participants
Academy participants share their experiences.
Katie Aman
Katie Aman, 27, was the winner of the criterium and omnium at the 2023 collegiate national championships while studying for a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) in Epidemiology at the University of North Carolina (UNC). Katie grew up swimming competitively but discovered cycling while in her freshman year at Middlebury College in 2016. Katie lives in Hendersonville, NC and currently races for United Cycling.
“The SVCF trip was an incredible experience, and I learned so much. I got to share the company of five other amazing women and learn and grow with them in our cycling pursuits. We had the chance to stay together for a full month, which is a truly extraordinary amount of time to be given to learn the ins and outs of European bike racing. Each time we lined up to race, we learned something new and came together as a group to continue honing our racing skills. Rachel and Adrian provided world class support and advice, from mechanical help to racing tactics. I’m coming away from the trip with so much new knowledge and confidence in my skills!”
Kayla Davis
Kayla Davis is a 21-year-old rider from southern California, currently racing for Cynisca Cycling. Kayla is studying Business Administration and Psychology with a concentration in Marketing at Northeastern University in Boston and is an active participant in a variety of student organizations. Kayla started racing in 2021 and placed on the podium in the 2024 U23 national road championships in Charleston.
“Over the month with the Academy I feel that my skills and confidence on the bike increased tremendously. The abundance of racing and race debriefs provided repeated experiences to learn and implement new tactics and skills, resulting in a continuous growth in my confidence and abilities over the course of the program. I am so thankful for the Academy for facilitating a positive European racing experience filled with such high-quality support (and amazing people!!), and I am looking forward to using the confidence and knowledge I’ve gained from this trip in my upcoming seasons!”
Elizabeth Dixon
Elizabeth Dixon is a 33-year-old rider living in Chicago and began racing in 2021. Racing for Fount Cycling at the recent national road championships in Charleston, VA, Elizabeth won the hearts of the crowd at the criterium where a solo attack almost won her the title. Elizabeth was caught by multi-time national champion Coryn Rivera within feet of the line and hung on for a silver medal. Elizabeth works in health and benefits consulting at Mercer. Prior to cycling, Elizabeth trained as a ballet dancer for 18 years.
“Spending a month in the Netherlands with the SVCF Academy was such a rewarding experience. Racing in Europe is different in many ways, much larger field sizes, narrow roads and more aggressive racing. Linda, Rachel and Adrian provided expert guidance and support to help us navigate the peloton and walk away with results and race experiences that we were proud of. To top it all off, they surprised us with a trip to the Paris Olympics where we all watched the women’s road race together— so amazing!!”
Lucy Hempstead
Lucy Hempstead is a 23-year-old road and gravel cyclist living in Ottawa, Canada. She works full time for the Government in Transport Canada. She was introduced to cycling through the RBC training ground talent identification program in 2021. Currently combining road and gravel for the Cyclery racing team, Lucy has completed the Redlands Bicycle Classic and Tour of the Gila on the road this year as well as the LifeTime Sea Otter Classic and Gravel Locos.
“The SVCF Academy was everything that I had hoped it would be. I am so appreciative of all of the work that Rachel and Adrian put in and I learned so much. The icing on the cake was the Academy taking us to Paris to watch the women’s Olympic road race. It was such a cool and inspiring experience to see all those incredible women racing at the highest level—it really brought our own dreams to life. It was the perfect motivation to push through that last racing block, and it made the whole camp even more memorable!”
Chloe Mauvais
Chloé, 26, started riding on a dare in late 2020. Although lacking a background in high-level sports, she quickly took to cycling, racing local events in 2022, and moving on to national racing in 2023. Racing for Monarch Cycling, Chloé applies the same analytical mindset to her cycling as she does to her graduate studies. Residing in Northern California, Chloé is entering her third year as a PhD student in UC Berkeley’s Department of Spanish and Portuguese, where she specializes in literature on nature and climate change.
“Linda Jackson and Rachel and Adrian Hedderman created an environment where six ambitious riders could test themselves against European racing with all the stumbles and successes that test entailed. I’m leaving the program a better racer in every sense of the word: more confident, more capable, and more excited than ever for the future of my cycling career. The SVCF Academy has changed my life.”
Minori Minagawa
Minori Minagawa, 29, is a physical therapist living in Columbus, OH. She was a former collegiate runner and briefly participated in triathlons before focusing on cycling. She has been racing bikes for just two years and placed in the top 15 of the 2024 national criterium championships in Charleston, WV racing for Fount Cycling.
“The SVCF Academy far exceeded my expectations. With Rachel’s guidance and expertise in racing at the highest level, I improved my skills, race strategies and gained confidence, ultimately securing a podium finish at the last race. It was amazing watching my cycling idols at the post tour crit and the women’s road race in Paris. I’m so grateful to have been part of this Europe trip and more importantly I’m inspired and motivated to continue my cycling journey”.