Ella Bloor: The power of 'why', unhinged endurance challenges and Marathon World Championships

If you race bikes in Australia, you have probably heard of Ella Bloor. From her start on the road, Ella has become one of the most prolific endurance cyclists in the country on both the gravel and mountain bike. Ella is also incredibly creative and a deep thinker, crafting the AMB X-Factor column. We caught up with Ella after a huge UCI Marathon World Championships campaign, where she fought some of the toughest imaginable conditions to finish in the top 30.

So…2025 UCI Marathon World Championships…this came after a huge 2024 for you, with the Life Time Grand Prix and UCI Gravel Worlds in 2023, followed by mention riding across Australia earlier this year. Firstly, what was the World Champs course in Snowshoe like?

Before leaving for the XCM World Championships in Snowshoe, I caught up with Zoe Cuthbert (current cross-country professional for Team 31), who basically said after I mentioned that I was racing at Snowshoe to ‘have fun with that’ – which instantly made me anticipate that it was going to be gnarly. 

And look, it was pretty hard. The 110km course had 2100m of elevation and was a big loop starting and finishing in the ski mountain town of Snowshoe, West Virginia (US). The first half of the course was particularly hard going, and the race was broken up fairly quickly. 

The starting loop consisted of bike-park terrain, with sections of slippery roots and bridges. You then climbed back out of the bike park via a downhill run and made your way onto a mix of more natural-style singletrack, which had slippery roots and rocks for days! 

It was unlike anything I had ever ridden in Australia, and I could now see what Zoe meant. Once you reached the furthest point of the course, it almost turned into a gravel race, and the next 40km was a gruelling return of undulating fire road. The final stretch of the course looped us back through some really steep, technical single-track back into the bike park, with the final nail in the coffin being the hard climb back up and into the village. 

It’s a bit of a special privilege to don the Aussie colours. How did it feel lining up against the world’s best in the green and gold? Were you feeling confident after a few big years, or do you feel like a little Australian fish in a giant pond? Perhaps a carp? Or Barramundi?

It really is a special privilege to don the Aussie colours. I returned home from my ride across Australia to a package from AusCycling with the kit inside, and it did feel extra special given what I had just experienced riding across this amazing country. I was nervous leading into the race, given my energy levels post the Australia ride and the lack of time I had spent on my mountain bike – there aren’t many corners, rocks or slippery roots on the Nullarbor! 

I definitely felt like a little Aussie fish when some of the world’s best mountain bikers started lining up around me. But I was proud of myself for making it there, and I knew it would be another feather in my hat when it comes to building experience, and I gained so much from racing at this level and in the Aussie colours. I also beat my starting plate number of 36 by over 10 places, so I guess I’ll take it. 

Notably, you have had some other huge adventures this year, riding across Australia, as you have mentioned. It was a long and solo trip. What kept you going when it seemed impossible?

When I take on challenging adventures, I really need to believe in the ‘why’. That ‘why’ doesn’t have to be deep, but I need to believe in why I want to be out there. For the ride across Australia, I knew I was hungry for a big challenge, and I was deeply curious about what I would learn about myself taking on such a long and solo trip. I also believed that I would be able to handle whatever challenges came my way, and I knew the impossible times would pass if I stayed grounded and remembered why I chose this discomfort. 

Does this drive you in all adventures?

For me, adventure is a bit of an addiction. It’s given me some of the most joyous feelings, but it’s also encouraged me to face some of the deepest corners within myself. It all boils down to knowing this is something I choose to do, want to do and get to do. I’m very much grounded by the privilege of all of this, which makes it easier to remain focused on what a luxury it is to be able to choose discomfort, and as a result of this choice, the profound feeling of why I do this motivates me to chase the thrill and experiences, even when they get hard. 

Changing gears here a bit, what’s your day job? How do you manage to make life work so you can head out on these amazing adventures?

My day job is as an architectural designer in Canberra. I’m lucky to be supported by an amazing boss who offers the flexibility and trust that I will manage the projects I’m a part of around my cycling endeavours. When I’m in Canberra, I’m typically in the office 4-5 days a week, and then I work remotely overseas at whatever hour, location and Wi-Fi connection I can find. It’s certainly a huge juggling act, one I don’t often get right, but I couldn’t be more grateful for having an encouraging boss that enables me to chase the best of both. Even if it sometimes means long days and running (or riding!) off fumes. 

You’ve been hanging out with super endurance icon Lachlan Morton for the past few years. Has his zest for borderline ridiculous endurance adventures been a contributing factor in your own huge and challenging pursuits?

I was lucky enough to be included in Mitch Dockers ‘Rat to Radelaide’ in Jan 2023. My interest in bike-packing had been building since covid-times, and at the time, the 5-day trip to Adelaide was easily the longest few days on the bike I had ever done. Lach was on this trip, and I was able to chat about the upcoming LifeTime Grand Prix, which I had just been selected for. Soon into my US trip (and after a few solo travel disasters), I ended up staying with the Mortons’ in Boulder for quite some time! His authentic zest for ridiculous (let’s be honest, he’s crossed that borderline stage) has certainly been inspiring to be around and has contributed to my desire to pursue hard and challenging things. 

When I first met you, you were an established and very speedy roadie on what was then Australia’s premiere women’s road cycling team. Can you tell me a little bit about your story, from transitioning across the skinny tyres to the dirt?

I really have the pandemic to thank for my transition to dirt. The pandemic put a pause on racing, which jolted me out of my routine and opened my eyes to so many different activities! Skiing, trail bikes, running, bike-packing, hiking – whatever! So, when racing resumed, I was already looking at events that were on dirt. 

What is next for Ella Bloor?

The planning for what’s next has already started, and after two years of exploring and racing across the US, I think I’m ready to look towards other corners of the globe. Maybe Cape Epic, some gravel races in Europe, and a small bubble of excitement to see some of the northern borders of Norway by bike. It’s also been incredible to see the growth in gravel and regrowth of XCM events in Australia, so I’ve got my eyes set on a few local events. I also want to tick off my architecture registration at some point.. but for now, I’m just sitting with what I’ve achieved in 2024. It’s been a big one!