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British time-trial record holder Alice Lethbridge says thoracic outlet syndrome symptoms made outdoor riding dizzying and left her unable to race on the road for much of the past 18 months. She turned to Zwift and MyWhoosh, where indoor training and racing helped her maintain fitness and earn prize money toward physiotherapy. A temporary return outdoors after Botox injections ended when the effects wore off, and further treatment is undecided.
Time-trial record holder Alice Lethbridge turned to indoor training and virtual racing after symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome made her feel dizzy when turning her head outdoors, according to an interview with Cycling Weekly. The 41-year-old says the change helped her maintain fitness and earn prize money for physiotherapy, while her next treatment and return to road racing remain uncertain.
Lethbridge, a former British record holder in the 100-mile and 12-hour time trials, first noticed symptoms while competing in the East Cleveland Classic in spring 2024. She told Cycling Weekly that she became numb in the hands and nauseated, and could not comfortably remain in the race bunch. Turning her head while riding outside made her feel dizzy, she said.
Her hands later became so cold that she sought medical help. The diagnosis took almost a year, the report said, but she stopped riding outdoors before it was confirmed. On a stationary trainer, she did not need to turn her head to check behind her, making indoor riding a workable alternative while treatment was delayed.
Lethbridge said she trained as much as 20 hours a week during school holidays and 10 to 12 hours during term time, sometimes starting at 5 a.m. She adjusted her routine with higher-intensity intervals instead of relying on long outdoor rides, and joined group events on Zwift and MyWhoosh with the FemmeCycle Collab community. Prize money from MyWhoosh racing helped pay for physiotherapy, she told the magazine.
Virtual Racing Kept Her Training
Lethbridge’s account shows how indoor cycling gave a competitive rider a way to keep training and racing when outdoor riding triggered symptoms. The change was not simply a substitute for road competition: she said group rides and team events helped replace some of the social structure she missed while unable to ride with others outside.
Her experience also highlights the limits of that workaround. Indoor racing supported her fitness and brought in money for treatment, but it did not resolve the underlying condition or establish when she can return to outdoor competition. Lethbridge said she had reached what she considered her fittest ever while being unable to race outside, a difficult contrast for an athlete whose record-setting discipline is road time trialling.
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From Zwift to Great Britain
Lethbridge was already familiar with virtual competition before her diagnosis. She joined Zwift in 2020 during the Covid lockdowns and made her debut for Great Britain at the UCI Cycling Esports World Championships within two years, according to Cycling Weekly. That background meant she could redirect her training toward indoor racing rather than starting from scratch.
She said the diagnosis followed symptoms that began at a race in spring 2024. After months of limited outdoor riding, Botox injections temporarily allowed her to ride on the road again this summer. Lethbridge told Cycling Weekly that the injections paralysed the affected muscles, but their effects have since worn off, leaving her back indoors.
““It was making me feel very dizzy turning my head outside… I started to feel like maybe I was going to vomit.””
— Alice Lethbridge, speaking to Cycling Weekly
Treatment and Road Return Unsettled
Lethbridge’s longer-term treatment plan has not been settled. She told Cycling Weekly that doctors have suggested a second round of Botox injections, which she said they have not prescribed for her before. The report does not say when that treatment might happen or whether it would provide a longer period of relief.
It is also unclear when she will be able to ride outdoors again or resume road racing. Her account describes the symptoms and her diagnosis, but does not provide further clinical details about the condition, the treatment’s risks, or the expected outcome. Those points should not be inferred from her temporary return to the road.
Doctors to Consider Further Injections
Lethbridge said she is hopeful a second round of injections could allow her to spend longer riding outdoors, but the outcome is not known. Until then, she is back to indoor training and expects to continue using it even if road riding becomes possible, saying it fits more efficiently around her work as a biology teacher.
She also encouraged riders struggling to stay motivated indoors to join a team or commit to a virtual event with others. For her, scheduled group rides offered accountability and companionship while treatment and a return to outdoor competition remained unresolved.
Key Questions
What condition was Alice Lethbridge diagnosed with?
Cycling Weekly reported that Lethbridge was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome. She described numb hands, nausea and dizziness when turning her head outdoors. The article does not give additional clinical detail about her specific diagnosis.
Why could she ride indoors but not outdoors?
Lethbridge said riding a stationary trainer meant she did not have to turn her head to look over her shoulder, a movement that made her feel dizzy outdoors. Indoor riding allowed her to keep training while road riding was difficult.
How did virtual racing help Lethbridge?
She used Zwift and MyWhoosh for training and group racing, and said the FemmeCycle Collab community helped replace the team contact she missed outdoors. She also said MyWhoosh prize money helped fund physiotherapy.
Can Lethbridge return to outdoor racing now?
She returned to outdoor riding briefly this summer after Botox injections, but told Cycling Weekly the effects wore off and she is back indoors. A further round has been suggested, but its timing and outcome are not known.
Source: cyclingweekly.com
