Rider profile - Cate Blackburn

Rider name 

Cate Blackburn

Instagram handle

@catebb24 - I also run the Queensland Cyclocross Collective page @qldcxcollective

Team or worthy cause

Queensland Cyclocross Collective!

Tell us about your bike!

A second-hand Focus Mares CX from about 2010 I bought in 2017. She sports a bright, mismatched orange fork from the time the original fork was cracked in transit on the way to Creswick NCXS 2019. Thankfully a lovely local had an old one in his shed and brought it to rego for me on day 1. This bike and I have been through a lot together and I love her!

You'll find me riding or racing in... (hometown and racing grade)

SE Queensland B-grade women.

My riding/racing is supported by...

Machines for Freedom, my partner Jaye, and Lis the beagle.

In my day job I'm...

Graduating with a Bachelor of Biomedical Science mid 2020!

An interest I have outside of cycling is...

How human bodies work on good and bad days. Also camping and sailing (preferably done together)

What brought you to cyclocross?

My partner Jaye! I already had the bike thanks to the help of a friend and Jaye convinced me to give racing a go. This was early 2018.

What riding do you do aside from CX?

Road, mountain bike, commuting.

Tell us about your first race!

Held at the Chandler Velodrome early 2018. It was a costume race but I was too nervous to dress up. I remember thinking that it was hard and that there were so many tight corners!

What's your proudest achievement in CX?

Advocating for women and gender diverse riders by being part of the QLD CX organizing committee and through the formation of the Queensland Cyclocross Collective - a space to support and showcase female and gender diverse riders. Through my work and that of others, we had around 50% more starters in female race categories in 2019!

What's your CX strength?

My dismount.

What's your CX weakness?

My remount! I’m working on it.

How can we spot you on course?

Bright orange fork on a white/black/red bike. [Ed: With canti brakes!]