Grace Phang
My passion for competitive sport was nurtured from a young age playing handball and tennis, and my love for speed and adrenaline cultivated from my university days rock-climbing and white-water kayaking.
I picked up cycling in early 2011 after being introduced to crit-racing. It was the opportunity to rub shoulders with the stronger and more experienced women at the 2011 SKCC Club Criterium championships that inspired me to start training. Through the support of the SKCC Women’s Development Squad, I started road-racing and continued to learn and grow as a cyclist. In the later half of 2011, I took up track cycling and racing, and certainly enjoy the different challenges and elements that both these disciplines bring.
The adrenaline rush of descending a mountain, the competitive avenue that racing provides and the social bond that cyclists share, continues to develop my love for the sport.
Coach: Simon Quick
Hometown: Melbourne
Born in: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Strengths: Sprinting
Cycling Since: 1 Year
Hobbies off the Bike: Travelling, swimming, the outdoors
Career Highlights:
2011
5th GC and Sukkie Best & Fairest Award – Northern Combine 3 Day Tour Women’s B Grade
5th Victorian Women’s Omnium Championships
2nd Individual Pursuit Victorian Metro Track Titles
Part of Victorian Team competing at the Cycling Australia National Omnium Track Championships
Favourite racing/cycling memory:
Track: Racing with world champions at the 2011 Cycling Australia National Omnium Track Championship – an amazing experience and motivation to be a stronger cyclist.
Road: I was having a bad day at one of the road races and one of the stronger women riders (who I had not met at the time) dropped back to pull me back to the peloton – that really was something special and I hope to be able to lead and inspire others one day too.
Goals on the bike:
To become stronger and faster on the bike, continue to develop my racing skills as well as learn racing strategies as part of a team.
This season, my goal is to compete at the National Road Series tours as well as improve my performance at the Track races next summer in hope of one day competing at the world level.
When I’m not riding I can be seen…
Chilling by the pool when I can find the time