Abi Smith has quite a lot going on. When she’s not busy dominating the UK domestic racing calendar as she did in 2021, she’s either playing one of multiple instruments, painting or simply nerding out. Though the 19-year-old’s WorldTour cycling career at EF Education-Tibco is in its first months she’s already drawing up plans for university for when she hangs up her wheels. Maybe her biology A-level will aid a medicine degree. Her overall athletic prowess made PE an obvious A-level, and she links her geography studies to mapping her rides, studying wind direction and being outside.
“I’m really nerdy about it. Well I am really nerdy,” Smith laughs when CW speaks with her. She plays piano and viola, and one look at her painting of the Ribblehead Viaduct on her noncycling Instagram feed (abijesmith.art) is proof of her artistic excellence.
“That took about a million hours, but landscapes are definitely my forte. I like to do places I’ve been or want to go.” She’s even turned her artistic bent to cycling, with occasional forays into Strava art; her 62-mile Flamingo Fun ride from June 2020 is our favourite.
“Art takes a long time, similar to cycling,” Smith tells CW. “So when I finished school it was either art or sport and I chose sport, which thankfully has gone quite well.”
Quite well is an understatement. The GP Ecostruct in May 2021 was her first race in 13 months and her debut senior UCI event. There, riding for Great Britain, she attacked a strong international bunch, bridged to a breakaway, dropped them all, only to be caught inside the final kilometre. She still hung on for a top 20 place.
Esta historia es de la edición February 10, 2022 de CYCLING WEEKLY.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición February 10, 2022 de CYCLING WEEKLY.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
CLASSIC BIKE COLNAGO SUPER
A trailblazing bike immortalised by Merckx and Saronni
"Strava activities are the only way I know some of my friends are still alive"
...or that Bernard is doing his weekly shop
AN EXPERT'S TAKE ON... SADDLE SELECTION
Crucial advice to guide your next purchase
JUST A NUMB#R?
Approaching a landmark birthday, Charlie Graham-Dixon explores how ageing affects cycling performance and what can be done to stay ahead of the curve
RURAL PERIL
More UK cyclists are killed on rural lanes than on busy city streets. Rob Kemp investigates why and what can be done to keep us safe while riding in the countryside
A BLESSED RIDE THROUGH THE FOREST OF BOWLAND
Forgoing cloak, cassock and cross, Trevor Ward goes in search of the holy roads that helped make a Tour winner
Dame Sarah Storey claims road and 19th gold double
More success for Team GB's Paralympians in Paris, but Storey slams women's time trial course
Roglič matches Vuelta win record
Slovenian takes fourth Tour of Spain title after hunting down O'Connor's lead, writes Adam Becket
Williams crowned Tour of Britain champion
Welshman leads home resurgence at the stage race to crown an Israel-Premier Tech clean sweep, reports Tom Davidson in Felixstowe
CLASSIC BIKE CLAUD BUTLER OLYMPIC ROAD
Iconic British brand's Holdsworth-era road bike