Kate Veronneau on London 2027, walking away from Roubaix and why women's cycling can't wait - Domestique Hotseat
In this episode, Zwift's Kate Veronneau joins Aidan in the Hotseat for a conversation that goes well beyond the 2027 Grand Départ announcement. From a basketball background that taught her what real equality of opportunity looks like, to the heartbreaking call to walk away from Paris-Roubaix Femmes sponsorship, Kate opens up about the decade-long bet Zwift has made on women's cycling and what has to happen next to keep the flywheel spinning.
Kate explains why landing the 2027 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift Grand Départ in a city of 15 million changes the game entirely, how a last-minute ride with Maloko Cycling pulled nearly 70 people into Richmond on a weeknight, and why the UK paywall problem means even a home race might not reach the mainstream audience it deserves.
She also shares how coming from basketball – not cycling – shaped her view of the gender gap in this sport, and why Zwift has positioned itself as the "Switzerland" of the industry: the one brand that can sit at a table with SRAM, Shimano, Canyon and Factor and get everyone to play nice.
She also opens up about the decision to pull Zwift's sponsorship of Paris-Roubaix Femmes, a call she says broke her heart but was the right business move to go all-in on the Tour de France Femmes.
Along the way, she breaks down the 148 million global viewing hours sponsors still aren't acting on, why the 70% viewership jump at Roubaix and the "what the fuck" outrage that followed were actually the best things that could have happened, and why Zwift doesn't just write a cheque – it brings a global community of riders and teaches them how to be fans.
Looking ahead, Kate digs into the "missing middle" between juniors and the World Tour, what the Natascha Knaven-led Next Gen series proposal could unlock, and whether women's cycling should even be trying to copy the broken men's model or go full franchise in the Bas Tietema and Jonathan Vaughters direction.
The episode closes with a preview of the 2026 route through Switzerland, Mont Ventoux and Nice, the Nike and Red Bull rumours circling the sport, and a passionate case for patience with a race that's only five years into closing a century-long gap.
🎧 Listen on Spotify
🎧 Listen on Apple Podcast
📺 Watch on YouTube
Enjoyed the episode? Hit subscribe so we can keep bringing you more conversations from inside and around the peloton.
Join our WhatsApp service
Be first to know. Subscribe to Domestique on WhatsApp for free and stay up to date with all the latest from the world of cycling.
