WE INTERVIEWED IMOGEN COTTER

Today we interviewed Imogen Cotter, a former professional cyclist. In 2022, she was involved in a horrific road accident whilst training. Once she had recovered, she developed post-traumatic stress disorder and gave up cycling. She is currently studying to work in the media, in a role related to cycling.

1. As a young woman, you competed as a track athlete and also practiced triathlon. Why did you decide to switch to cycling?:

Imogen: I was a runner throughout my teens and absolutely loved it, but was constantly in a cycle of doing a great training block, then getting injured and having to cross-train, and then starting at square one again. When I found cycling, I was able to continue to train and build without setbacks every few months. My dad was the one who got me into cycling, and I have a couple of uncles who raced when they were younger too, so I was able to pick up and learn a lot from them!

2. In 2017, you joined the Cycling Ireland project. How do you remember those years?:

Imogen: I remember those years as me being totally naïve and totally broke! I didn’t know anything about cycling, but I was so so "hungry" to make it. I wanted it so much and I was willing to sacrifice a lot. I was living in the UK at the time, and I left my job and moved to where Cycling Ireland needed me, which was in Mallorca. Now I look back on it and think I was crazy. We were not being paid, so I was basically being asked to move out there with no safety net. I was so lucky that my parents saw my dedication and my dream and believed in me, and they helped me financially over that year. I had an amazing group of women around me and we just had so much fun learning and failing and learning again!

3. In 2018, the Irish national team did not select you for the European Track Championships, and that changed your life because, from then on, you started competing on the road in Belgium. How do you remember your first races in Belgium?:

Imogen: My first races in Belgium were a lesson in grit and adversity. I had never done a road race before, and had certainly never been a part of a peloton moving at about 40km/h. I was dropped nearly every race! But it was such an exciting time to finally see what racing and cycling was all about. I’d only ever watched one cycling race on TV, the Rio 2016 Olympic road race, so I was just learning in Belgium at a rapid rate. It was sink or swim, but I had some good people around me there and I had a dream.

4. In 2021, you were part of Movistar's e-team. What memories do you have of those months?:

Imogen: The races I did with Movistar were a bit frustrating to be honest. Although I was incredibly strong and could push the highest watts in an e-race, I never seemed to get the hang of e-racing. I would push hard at the wrong time, and then get pipped on the line. It’s also quite a strict pre-race protocol, with recording weight and submitting power files on time. I enjoyed it, but it was quite a hectic experience every Tuesday night!

5. That year, you also rode for the Keukens Redant amateur road team, where you competed in several races against professionals. In just a few years, you went from knowing almost nothing about cycling to competing with professionals. How did you cope with that transition?:

Imogen: I suppose at the time I wasn’t thinking about what a fast transition it was. I had really high expectations of myself, and I think I beat myself up a lot for being afraid in the peloton and for not getting good enough results, for not adapting faster. It seemed like no matter what I did, I couldn’t shake my nerves in the peloton. It took a long time to feel like I belonged, but by the end of 2021 I was getting there. I remember one race in particular, where I got the climber’s jersey, and it felt like a dream, but I had worked incredibly hard to get there.

6. In 2021, you were also crowned Irish road champion. What did becoming national champion mean to you?:

Imogen: It was a dream come true. Ever since I started running in my teens, the honour of wearing my national kit and representing my country has been the ultimate goal and dream. If I was selected to represent Ireland, it was the greatest honour. I remember every time I have been able to pull that kit on. Knowing that I was going to be able to represent Ireland every time I rode my bike was such a proud moment for me. It was the ultimate achievement.

7. In 2022, you signed your first professional contract, but in January, you were hit by a car and, after many operations, you returned to competition at the end of the year. After the accident, weren't you afraid to get back on a bike?:

Imogen: I was terrified of getting back on the bike. But I was also terrified of not giving everything to my recovery, and not getting the most out of my career. I still hadn’t had a chance to wear my national champion kit when I was hit. Even if everyone doubted me, I wanted to prove it to myself.

8. What was the most difficult part of your recovery?:

Imogen: I was hit in January, and by April, the mobility in my knee was still stuck at 60 degrees. It was a really scary time when I was unsure if I would ever walk normally again. I could barely sleep, or eat, I was just so depressed. I emailed my cycling team, and asked if they knew a knee surgeon who I knew had worked on Remco (Evenepoel) and Wout (van Aert). They got me an appointment with him, and 4 months after my initial crash, I had a second operation on my knee in Herentals. I stayed in Herentals for 3 weeks after my operation, staying in a local hotel and walking to the hospital every day for physio. The physio sessions pushed me to my limits, and I still didn’t know if I would get my full mobility back in my knee. I was in so much pain, I was alone, and I was totally miserable. I lost so much weight because I just didn’t want to eat. It was the worst time of the recovery but I also think it was the worst time of my life.

9. In 2024, you raced for the English Hess Cycling Team, but after a few weeks, you quit cycling. Why did you consider retiring from cycling? Did you feel a lot of pressure?:

Imogen: I didn’t feel pressure. It was a couple of things. I returned to cycling full of energy in 2023, but I had a difficult time with my team and only had 12 race days all year. It felt like by the time 2024 came around, I had used up every single ounce of energy, motivation and determination simply to get to the new season. I really felt empty and unsure of my goals. 2024 was also two years after my crash, and the first time that the physical recovery felt well and truly finished. There were no more hospital appointments, visits to my lawyer or visits to the insurance doctor. For the first time, I was able to digest what had happened to me, and how I had nearly died. This was when the PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder) kicked in. All of a sudden, my body was on high alert all the time. I kept thinking of possible ways I could die. In one of my final races, I was in Mallorca and driving back to the race hotel with my dad. All I could think of was being in a car crash and I was shaking the whole time. The next month, I was in Valencia with Hess, which ended up being my last race. After the first stage, I didn’t sleep all night. I truly thought I was going to die the next day. In the second stage, I attacked at zero kilometer because I just wanted to get out of the peloton. When the attack was caught back, my body went into shutdown. I couldn’t push more than 120 watts. It ended up being my last ever race, because after that I started therapy.

10. Today, I believe you have returned to athletics. Do you have any goals in mind, or are you considering competing?:

Imogen: My goals for athletics are firstly, to enjoy it! I have always dreamed of running a sub-3 marathon, so I aim to do that over the next couple of years. I won’t ever be competitive because of my knee, but running has always been my first love!

11. You are currently studying for a master's degree in journalism. Where would you like to see yourself in a few years' time?:

Imogen: Honestly, within the next 5 years, I would love to be working on TV. I would absolutely love to be involved in cycling journalism and media. I want to be presenting bike races, or contributing to race coverage. I want to champion women’s cycling and to keep showing people how amazing it can be.

12. What other activities take up your free time?:

Imogen: When I’m not doing social media work or training, I spend a lot of time with my miniature dachshund Ispín. I also support my fiancé a lot, as he is a professional triathlete. We are getting married in August so we are currently preparing for that. I love knitting and being creative, listening to music or a podcast, watching YouTube documentaries, having friends over for dinner. My life is peaceful now, and while I still have goals and things I want to achieve, I am happy that the stressful life of elite sport is behind me.