Eight things Rozanna Purcell has learned about cycling

Steely ambition and hard slog has prepared Rozanna Purcell for the Ring Of Kerry cycling event, she tells Ed Power

ROZANNA Purcell is one of Ireland’s leading models — and a regular in the gossip pages. But behind the glamorous exterior the 24-year-old Clonmel native is also an accomplished athlete. At school she excelled at tennis and GAA; today she is making an impact as a competitive runner and cyclist. In May she and her boyfriend, The Voice’s Niall Breslin (aka Bressie), completed the Ironman 70.3 event in Austria together (a 1.9 km swim followed by a 90km cycle and a 21.1 km run).

Now the former Miss Universe Ireland is training for the 180 km (112 mile) Ring Of Kerry bike event, taking place this Saturday. She is taking part as a guest of Škoda Ireland. Here are the important things she’s learned in the run up to the event.