Teniel Campbell: Strong and empowering women

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Cyclingnews' dedicated women's page features race reports, results, news, interviews, tech and galleries from the world of professional women's cycling.

You are what you affiliate yourself with. Believe it or not, energy transfers and it has its silent effects on an individual. 

I am surrounded by strong, empowering women. 

Women who have been through a lot of trials and tribulations but who have found the tenacity to keep pressing forward despite the odds.

Throughout my upcoming, I was raised by strong women and a village filled with those who contributed to my ethics, values, and philosophies in life. 

I also compete amongst strong women in my sporting discipline and I am currently on a team filled with uplifting strong women. All who have stories from which you can derive so much motivation and inspiration from. 

One can only imagine how much more inspirational and empowering stories exist within the professional women’s peloton. Off the bike, we hear and read the stories and it gives an insight on the struggles we face and must overcome.

What stands out the most about all of these women is their willingness to continue fighting despite the odds.

May it be overcoming injuries or health problems, and still being fired up to constantly want more, fighting for change, equality, and representation, and even riding in excruciating pain, pushing themselves beyond their limits, and completely sacrificing themselves for their teammates. 

February 27 was my first race in my new colours at Team BikeExchange. Every little thing I did at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad was followed by a “good job mate”. This took me by surprise but was pretty encouraging and gives continued motivation to fuel me to be better the next time.  I really loved that! I loved the constructive criticism of fine tuning the things we can do together as a team to improve and nail results.

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Little things like this also eases my mind and block my sorrows of my own problems back home in Trinidad and Tobago. Being an extremely family-oriented person and not being able to return home to be with my family in times of needs due to the current pandemic is hard. Missing birthdays, Christmas, New Years for the second time in a row. 

Not being there to be at their side and hold their hands in times of difficulty to give that shoulder to lean on and cheer them up. It is challenging although I conceal my emotional side very well. 

One of the most admirable things was when properly chatting with Sarah Roy on a recovery ride. She says, “ You remind me so much if myself”. We are both extremely relatable with very similar mindsets. She made me silently rethink several things in order to evolve into a stronger TC. 

Cyclingnews' newest blog writer Teniel Campbell hails from Trinidad and Tobago and races for Team BikeExchange. She started her career in professional road and track cycling following a full scholarship at the World Cycling Centre (WCC) in Aigle, Switzerland in early 2018. Teniel has achieved success with the WCC programme, Valcar-Travel & Service, and with her national team. She is now making her debut with the Women's WorldTour Team BikeExchange in 2021. You can follow Teniel on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.