Bridie O'Donnell explained
| Bridie O'Donnell |
| Birth Place: | Australia |
| Currentteam: | Retired |
| Discipline: | Road |
| Role: | Rider |
| Amateuryears1: | 2012 |
| Amateurteam1: | Vanderkitten–Focus |
| Proyears1: | 2010 |
| Proteam1: | Team Valdarno Umbria |
| Proyears2: | 2011 |
| Majorwins: | Hour record 46.882 km (22 January 2016) |
Bridie O'Donnell is a public servant, author, sports broadcaster, medical practitioner and former professional road cyclist. She represented Australia at the 2008, 2009 and 2010 UCI Road World Championships.[1]
O'Donnell was a medical practitioner and surgical assistant before taking up cycling,[2] and later returned to medicine to work in health assessment.[3] [4]
On 22 January 2016 O'Donnell broke the Women's Hour record at the Adelaide Super-Drome. She rode 46.882 kilometres, exceeding the distance set by Molly Shaffer Van Houweling the previous September by 609 metres.[5]
Work life
O'Donnell is a medical doctor, graduating from the University of Queensland's school of medicine in 1998, and was appointed the inaugural head of the Office for Women in Sport and Recreation for the Victorian State Government in 2017.[6] [7] She was employed by Australian TV network Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) as a commentator for the 2020 Tour de France, the first woman to do so for SBS. She co-commentated on the Tour de France in 2021, 2022, and again in 2023, and 2024. [8]
In November 2021 she was inducted onto the Victorian Honour Roll of Women.[9]
Major results
- 2007
1st Time trial, Oceania Road Championships
2nd Chrono des Nations
7th Chrono Champenois – Trophée Européen
- 2008
1st Time trial, National Road Championships
4th Chrono des Nations
10th Memorial Davide Fardelli
- 2009
1st Time trial, Oceania Road Championships (January)
Oceania Road Championships (November)
1st Road race
3rd Time trial
2nd Overall Tour de PEI
5th Chrono Champenois
7th Memorial Davide Fardelli
- 2010
National Road Championships
2nd Road race
2nd Time trial
8th Memorial Davide Fardelli
- 2011
Oceania Road Championships
2nd Road race
2nd Time trial
4th Time trial, National Road Championships
- 2012
3rd Time trial, Oceania Road Championships
3rd Time trial, National Road Championships
- 2013
7th Chrono des Nations
- 2014
3rd Time trial, National Road Championships
Oceania Road Championships
5th Time trial
10th Road race
- 2015
2nd Time trial, National Road Championships
- 2016
World Hour record 46.882 km (22 January 2016)
2nd Time trial, Oceania Road ChampionshipsWorks
- Life and death : a cycling memoir, Melbourne : Slattery Media Group, 2018., [10] [11]
Notes and References
- Web site: Bridie O'Donnell. 31 August 2020. procyclingstats.com.
- Web site: Bridie O'Donnell gearing up for a new career Herald Sun. www.heraldsun.com.au. 7 April 2015.
- Web site: What it's like to be a top-level sportswoman. 7 April 2015.
- Web site: About Epworth HealthCheck. www.epworth.org.au. 7 April 2015.
- Web site: Bridie O'Donnell breaks Women's UCI Hour Record. UCI. 22 January 2016.
- Web site: 'Change doesn't have to be frightening' – Bendigo talks women in sport. D'Agostino. Emma. 26 February 2018. Bendigo Advertiser. en. 18 June 2019.
- Web site: Cyclist Bridie O'Donnell takes new role to make things better for women in sport. Colangelo. Anthony. 20 October 2017. The Sydney Morning Herald. en. 18 June 2019.
- Web site: Rigden . Claire . Ex-champion cyclist Bridie O'Donnell returns to co-host the Tour de France for SBS . The West Australian . 4 July 2021 . subscription.
- Web site: 2021-11-12. Outstanding Victorian Women Recognised. 2021-11-14. Mirage News. en-AU.
- News: Bridie O'Donnell: 'Cycling's power imbalance is extremely apparent'. O'Halloran. Kate. 1 June 2018. The Guardian. 18 June 2019. en-GB. 0261-3077.
- Web site: Beyond the cult of self-destruction: Life and Death by Bridie O'Donnell. 10 May 2018. CyclingTips. en-US. 18 June 2019.
