Finding the balance between lectures and long rides is a discipline. Stellenbosch University student and cyclist, Ella Corrigan, spoke to SMF News’ Kyla Laing about her journey from her first 50km mountain bike race in sneakers, to representing South Africa at the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Gravel World Championships in the Netherlands.
Ella Corrigan, 19, is a Stellenbosch University BCom Management Sciences student, majoring in logistics and supply chain management. Ella recently competed in the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Gravel World Championships in the Netherlands, finishing 77th in the world and as the first South African in her age group. PHOTO: Kyla Laing
Finding her ride
When Ella Corrigan and her family moved from Johannesburg to the quiet town of George in the Western Cape, she didn’t expect to discover a love for cycling.
“I’ve always been sporty,” said Ella. “I played first team hockey, netball, tennis, and swimming. But I never actually did cycling as a sport until I was in grade 10.”
Her first competitive cycling race was a 50km mountain bike event in grade 11, 2022. Ella didn’t own a proper kit or shoes, so she raced in a pair of sneakers.
“I didn’t really know what to expect. It took me four and a half hours, which was very slow,” said Ella. “But I loved it. I think I suffered and struggled a lot, but I really loved it.”
Her mom, Lee Corrigan, admitted she was doubtful when Ella expressed an interest in the sport.
“When Ella started cycling, my first reaction was: ‘She’s never going to make it,’” she said. “She wasn’t a natural to start with, but she did work very hard.”
That race lit the spark and from there she joined Glenwood High School’s cycling team in George. She started riding with her dad on weekends, and after getting her first coach, Ella earned her first podium in matric.
“I think that’s when I realised I want to do this, and I can actually do well,” said Ella.
Ella Corrigan says her motivation for cycling comes from within. When she feels unmotivated to train, she remembers the bigger goals she wishes to accomplish. “There wasn’t one single person that kind of changed my life by saying ‘you should cycle,’” she said. PHOTO: Kyla Laing
The cost of commitment
Balancing elite cycling with university life takes discipline. Currently in her second year of BCom Management Sciences at Stellenbosch University, majoring in logistics and supply chain management, Ella tries to manage her studies and cycling as best as she can.
She trains six days a week, resting only on Mondays, and covers between 200 and 300 kilometers weekly, with an average of 13 hours of training.
“My training schedule is combined with zone two rides and then hard interval stations, and usually on a Sunday is a morning ride, so that can be up to three to five hours,” said Ella.
The biggest challenge, she says, isn’t only consistency, but making time for a social life.
“The balance is hard, but I think I found a rhythm and I’ve gotten into a routine, but it’s not easy,” she said. “Because I’m so passionate about cycling, I’ll make time for it.”
According to her sister, Cara Corrigan, most people don’t realize just how committed Ella really is.
“Something people wouldn’t guess about Ella is that she’s actually a cyclist, because there’s not many female cyclists,” said Cara. “They think, oh it’s just leisure.”
Ella Corrigan, a student-cyclist in Stellenbosch, trains six days a week, resting only on Mondays, and covers between 200 and 300 kilometers weekly, with an average of 13 hours of training per week. PHOTO: Kyla Laing
An unexpected qualification
Ella’s journey to representing South Africa happened unexpectedly. The only local qualifier for the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Gravel World Championships was the 150km Ceder Race in the Cederberg.
At the time, Ella didn’t own a gravel bike, and used her mountain bike for the race. She entered in her age category thinking she had no chance.
“I knew it was a qualifying race, but I thought, you know, what are the chances?” she said.
Lee remembers realizing cycling wasn’t just a hobby for Ella from this race.
“When she went to the Ceder Race, she sorted it all out herself. She entered, booked the accommodation, she paid for it herself,” said Lee. “As a student that [said] a lot, because she dug into her grocery money.”
To her own surprise, Ella ended up coming second in her age category – enough to qualify for the championships.
“I was shocked. I was so happy,” said Ella.
Her family was just as stunned.
“I think I sent her five messages saying, ‘are you serious?’ Because I just didn’t believe it,” said Cara.
While self-driven, Ella Corrigan’s mom, Lee Corrigan, said their family will always be there to support her on her adventures. “We are extremely close and we do spend a lot of time together celebrating each other’s successes,” said Lee. PHOTO: Kyla Laing
The dream ride
The UCI Gravel World Championships were held in Limburg, Netherlands. The 130km flat course featured 1 300 meters of climbing, and around 60% gravel and 40% tar.
“The speed of the race made it the most challenging, because although a flat race suits me, flat means fast, so it was brutal,” said Ella.
Lining up at the start line on race day, Ella felt so many emotions.
“Nerves hit hard on the start line,” she said. “I was thinking: ‘Am I going to keep up? Am I going to be able to stick with them? What if I crash?’ I’ve never raced a bunch this big. I was very, very nervous. And I just wanted things to go smoothly.”
Unlike back home in South Africa, where she races for podiums, her goal was simply to finish the race.
“There were 100 girls on the start line and they’re the best 100 girls in my age group in the world. So I had no expectations,” she said.
But mid race, disaster struck.
“At 60km, my back started cramping so badly. I’d never had pain like that before,” Ella recalls. “I just remember telling myself, I’ve got to keep pushing. I just can’t think of the pain. I knew I was going to regret it if I didn’t give this race my all.”
Ella Corrigan qualified for the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Gravel World Championships at the Cedar Race. At the World Championships she came second in her age group and 77th in the world, and was the first South African in her age group. Her medal for the Ceder race on the left and UCI championships on the right. PHOTO: Kyla Laing
Ella crossed the finish line in four hours and 40 minutes, finishing 77th in the world and as the first South African in her age group.
“Seventy seventh doesn’t sound great, but I’m still so proud of it because it is the best cyclists in the world,” said Ella.
Racing in the Netherlands was a surreal experience, she said.
“I can’t even put it into words, it didn’t feel real honestly,” she said. “I never thought I would represent South Africa.”
Lee says seeing Ella in her national kit was surreal, “I was just so beyond proud of her.”
“What more could a parent want than to see their child so happy and successful?”
For Cara, watching from the sidelines was more emotional than she expected.
“It was a really big moment, even for me. My sister was racing at world champs,” she said. “I was also just so proud of her.”
Women in cycling
Back in Stellenbosch, Ella trains among a vibrant cycling community.
“The community is incredible. I mean, there’s group rides almost every day of the week,” she said.
But the sport remains heavily male-dominated. Usually, Ella’s training partners are men who are naturally stronger.
But Ella remains optimistic for women in the sport, with women’s cycling having grown so much in the last two years. There are more women’s teams and foundations raising awareness for women’s cycling.
“There’s people that like bringing up women’s teams and big sponsors that are sponsoring women’s teams, which I think is awesome,” said Ella.