During her cycling career, Lydia represented her country at the highest level. On the track, she won medals at UCI World Cups and European Championships and made history by helping Team Ireland qualify for the Madison and Omnium at the Tokyo Olympics for the first time. In road cycling, she achieved multiple medals in the Irish National Championships in both the Road Race and Individual Time Trial.

Lydia’s cycling journey was never straightforward. She initially took up mountain biking while living in Canada aged 25, but after a close encounter with a bear on the trail she traded in the mountain bike for the road and later the track and never looked back.

After retiring from elite competition, Lydia’s passion for the bike remains as strong as ever. She loves a bikepacking adventure and has undertaken multiple trips including a ride from Canada to Mexico and many throughout Europe. She has also worked extensively as a cycling guide in bucket-list biking destinations such as Mallorca and Tuscany.

While cycling for Lydia now is all about camaraderie, coffee, and adventure, she’s still competitive at heart – and likely to race others up hills on group rides!