From hospital ward to TDU, nurse Jess is now a real pro
Jess Pratt’s race from graduate nurse to new pro has been as unconventional as it was impressive.
Tour Down Under
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Just a few weeks ago, Jessica Pratt was working as a nurse in her hometown of Brisbane. Today, she swaps scrubs for Lycra when she lines up as a professional cyclist in the Women’s Tour Down Under.
Ms Pratt’s race from graduate nurse to new pro has been as unconventional as it was impressive.
In December, she woke at 4am for her nursing shift and spotted an email that changed her life. It said she had beaten 9000 cyclists from around the world to make it to the top 10 of the Zwift Academy, an indoor cycle training competition that offers the winner a coveted place on professional German team Canyon-SRAM.
Zwift Academy competitors tackle virtual cycling courses on a bike paired to an interactive screen. Endurance and power data is ranked.
The 22-year-old took three days off from Princess Alexandra Hospital to take part in the semi-final phase and found she had done enough to make top three in the rankings.
“I had to ask work for time off to go to Malaga, in southern Spain, to contest the finals,” she said. “That was a testing four days. Every move we made was judged by the Canyon-SRAM team, including personality tests.”
Back home, she got the call telling her she had become the first Australian to win the competition and was a newly minted pro cyclist.
“I had to finish up my role as a nurse – but I’m grateful for my time as a nurse. I learned how fortunate I am just to be able to ride my bike every day,” Ms Pratt says.
“Zwift is great for time efficiency and with my nursing career and shiftwork Zwift was the perfect way to go.”
“And now, I’m here in Adelaide racing the Tour Down Under,” she said. “I’m still pinching myself.”
“To have an Australian win for the first time though is pretty special,” said former TDU rider and Community Manager at Zwift, Carlee Taylor, “and it’s great to see a rider like Jess win.
“Having just got 11th in the National Road Race Championship in Ballarat, I definitely think Jess will be a great rider to watch at the Tour Down Under.”
Friday’s 115km Nova-tech Stage 2 takes the riders from Murray Bridge to Birdwood, while Saturday’s 109km Subaru Stage 3 stretches from Nairne to Stirling, via Mylor and Aldgate. The fast and furious 42km Schwalbe Stage 4 finale on Sunday will be fought in the city, beginning and ending in Flinders St.
If you think you’ve got the talent to become a TDU pro, you can test yourself at the Zwift Women’s Pro-Am event, January 21, at The Chateau, 74 Frome St, city, at 7pm.
visit tourdownunder.com.au
Originally published as From hospital ward to TDU, nurse Jess is now a real pro