'Last month I was working for the NHS - now I'm racing the Tour de France Femmes'

'Last month I was working for the NHS - now I'm racing the Tour de France Femmes',EXCLUSIVE Last month Natalie Grinczer was working as a physiotherapist - she's since swapped teams and will now line up at the Tour de France Femmes for the second time after leaving the race last year

‘Last month I was working for the NHS – now I’m racing the Tour de France Femmes’

Natalie Grinczer's life has been flipped on its head over the past month – four weeks ago, Grinczer was working her day job for the NHS, while juggling her racing career with Team Stade Rochelle's Charente-Maritime.

However, Grinczer has since switched teams, to the newly-rebranded Lifeplus-Wahoo, and discovered she'll be on the start line for Le Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.

"It is difficult, you just have to be really disciplined about it," Grinczer revealed to Daily Star Sport about juggling two jobs, the day before she jetted across to Clermont-Ferrand – the start line of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.

She continued: "I train around my shifts – so if I'm on an early shift, I train from 4:30pm until 7pm. While if I'm on the late shift, I'll train 8am until 11am."

READ MORE: I went behind the scenes of the Tour de France with neutral service – it was mayhem

Grinczer joked: "It just has to be like that!"

To fund her dream of cycling in Europe, Grinczer works full-time for the NHS, where she is based in Devon as a full-time physiotherapist. However, as well as impacting her training, Grinczer also faces challenges just to get to the start line.

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Natalie Grinczer will be on the start line for the second edition of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift (Image: INSTAGRAM@https://www.instagram.com/nataliegrinczer/)

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Natalie Grinczer has moved to Lifeplus-Wahoo

Natalie Grinczer has moved to Lifeplus-Wahoo

And even after arriving in the seaside town, it took the help of some old friends: "My old team helped me out with sports nutrition, some people volunteered to put a spare bike on the car – it's thanks to them the whole thing worked!"

Grinczer finished a magnificent sixth, she added: "It was nice to give them something back."

And all focus will now turn towards the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. It's the second bite of the cherry for Grinczer, who made history last year when she rolled out of the Champs-Elysees during the first edition of the race.

Natalie Grinczer of United Kingdom and Team Stade Rochelais Charente Maritime reacts after crossing the line during the 1st Tour de France Femmes 2022, Stage 2 a 136,4km stage from Meaux to Provins / #TDFF / #UCIWWT / on July 25, 2022 in Provins, France. — Natalie Grinczer left the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift on the third stage last season (Image: Dario Belingheri/Getty Images)

However, last year's event ended in tears, and Grinczer left the race on the third stage. But back for more this season, Grinczer has her eyes on one stage, and one mountain: the Col du Tourmalet.

"A lot of girls are looking forward to the Tourmalet, I think it will be a difficult day… If I arrive at the bottom with no mechanicals, it will be interesting to see where I rank among the climbers."

The Tourmalet can stake a good claim to be cycling's answer to Wembley or Augusta. It was first conquered in the men's version of the event, back in 1910, that day Tour legend Octave Lapiz branded organisers as "murderers" for making them cycle the climb.

French cyclist and Director of the Women's Tour de France Marion Rousse poses with the map displaying the women's 2023 Tour de France route during the official presentation of the cycling race, in Paris, on October 27, 2022. - The women's Tour de France route from July 23-30 was unveiled on October 27, 2022 with a 1000km route starting from Clermont Ferrand and taking the riders through the south and an ascent of the Col du Tourmalet in the Pyrenees as its highlight. — This year the race will tackle the fearsome Col du Tourmalet (Image: ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP via Getty Images)

However, having just joined Lifeplus-Wahoo, Grinczer's goals are more team-oriented: "Just to be there with the team, and achieving our goals is a good starting point for me."

Lifeplus-Wahoo have also taken it upon themselves to try and raise the profile of the women's event by getting as many eyes on it as possible.

Grinczer added: "For us to be seen racing, increasing sponsorship and in the media – that's really good for the progression of the sport… Yeah, so that kind of growth in the sport is really nice to be a part of."

The FREE GCN+ passes are available for the full eight days of the Tour de France Femmes and can be redeemed at any time between 23/07/23 and 30/07/23.

They will be available to the first 10,000 people who sign up, and will only work for those based in the UK. Those wishing to sign up and receive their free GCN+ Pass can visit here: lifepluswahoo.com/embraceeverymoment