Illi Gardner

Illi Gardner
Gardner at the 2019 Women's Tour of Scotland
Personal information
Full nameIlli Cerys Gardner
Born (1999-10-14) 14 October 1999 (age 27)
Height5 ft 6 in (168 cm)
Cycling career
SportCycling
DisciplineRoad
RoleRider
Rider typeClimber
Amateur teams
2017Cardiff Ajax CC
2018YRDP
2019Brother UK–Tifosi
Professional team
2020–2021CAMS–Tifosi

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.

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.

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. On 30 October, she won the National Hill Climb Championships 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. On 29 October, she won the National Hill Climb Championships 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 for the third time by 12 seconds at the Dipton Mill Road climb in Hexham, Northumbria.

2025

On 20 September, she became Everesting world champion on Mount Etna.

2026

On 26 September, she defended her title to become Everesting world champion for the second time on Mount Etna.

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
2025
1st Mount Washington Hillclimb (with new official record of 58:01)
2nd National Hill Climb Championships

References

  1. ↑ Bradford, David (18 December 2022). "'I knew I could go faster': Hill-climb champion Illi Gardner on how she mounted her assault on the title". Cycling Weekly.
  2. ↑ "V-Women's Tour: I'm racing from my shed says Illi Gardner". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  3. ↑ Fretz, Caley (15 August 2021). "Illi Gardner breaks Everesting record in 8 hours 33 minutes". Cycling Tips.
  4. ↑ Alexander, Dan (15 August 2021). "Student Illi Gardner smashes women's Everesting record on Bwlch y Groes' brutal 18 per cent slopes". road.cc.
  5. ↑ Mc Laughlin, Ronan (24 July 2022). "Illi Gardner sets a new Everesting world record". Cycling Tips.
  6. ↑ "RTTC National Hill Climb Championship". CTT. 30 October 2022.
  7. ↑ "Titles to Großschartner and Gardner". Union Européenne de Cyclism. 31 July 2023.
  8. ↑ "RTTC National Hill Climb Championship". CTT. 29 October 2023.
  9. ↑ "RTTC National Hill Climb Championship". CTT. 27 October 2024.
  10. ↑ ""Everything hurts!": Illi Gardner crowned first ever Everesting world champion, despite "very nearly packing it in" after near collision with fox and nutrition woes". road.cc. 22 September 2025. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
  11. ↑ "2026 Everesting World Championship Results". www.granfondoguide.com. 1 October 2026. Retrieved 4 October 2026.