Illi Gardner

Illi Cerys Gardner (/ˈaɪli ˈkɛrɪs ˈɡɑːdnə/; born 14 October 1999) is a British racing cyclist, who rode professionally for UCI Women's Team CAMS–Basso Bikes in 2020 and 2021. She is a three-time winner of the British National Hill Climb Championships, and holds the fastest two Everesting times recorded by a female rider.

Illi Gardner

Gardner at the 2019 Women's Tour of Scotland
Personal information
Full name	Illi Cerys Gardner
Born	(1999-10-14) 14 October 1999 (age 25)
Height	5 ft 6 in (168 cm)[1]
Team information
Discipline	Road
Role	Rider
Rider type	Climber
Amateur teams
2017	Cardiff Ajax CC
2018	YRDP
2019	Brother UK–Tifosi
Professional team
2020–2021	CAMS–Tifosi[2]

Career

2021

On 14 August, she set a new women's world Everesting record of 8 hours 33 minutes and 47 seconds, beating Emma Pooley's 2020 record by almost 20 minutes by riding up and down Bwlch y Groes 72 times.^[3][4]

2022

On 23 July, she set a further women's world Everesting record of 8 hours 3 minutes and 29 seconds, improving on her previous record by over 30 minutes by riding up and down the Crowcombe climb 59 times.^[5] On 30 October, she won the National Hill Climb Championships^[6] by over 23 seconds at the Old Shoe climb near Llangollen in North Wales.

2023

In 2023 she won the first edition of the Championnats d'Europe des Grimpeurs, which took place in Switzerland on the legendary 12.78-kilometre (7.94-mile) climb from Airolo to the 2,091-metre (6,860-foot) Gotthard Pass.^[7] On 29 October, she won the National Hill Climb Championships^[8] for the second time by 59 seconds at the Struggle climb to Kirkstone Pass ascending from Ambleside in Cumbria.

2024

On 27 October, she won the National Hill Climb Championships^[9] for the third time by 12 seconds at the Dipton Mill Road climb in Hexham, Northumbria.

Major results

2022

1st National Hill Climb Championships

2023

1st Championnats d'Europe des Grimpeurs

1st National Hill Climb Championships

2024

1st National Hill Climb Championships