Introducing: Jil Tomaschko

Welcome to CCC introduces, our series spotlighting the incredible contributors who give their time and energy to Cycling Culture Club.

A warm welcome to Jil, a fellow industry veteran and super strong rider whom I met riding the Traka 100 in 2026.

Tell us about yourself:

I’m Jil, based in Cologne, with a decade of experience in marketing, partnerships and events - mostly in cycling and motorsport. I’m active, curious and always chasing the sun, somewhere between a good coffee and the next mini adventure. Big fan of the outdoors, big fan of community. Since several years cycling has been a constant through it all. I also co-run a women’s cycling group at my favourite bike dealer here in Cologne and it’s grown into something I’m genuinely proud of.

What do you love about cycling?

Honestly, the people and freedom. Cycling has a way of dissolving barriers: you share kilometres, coffee stops and conversations that wouldn’t happen anywhere else. It gives you new perspectives, not just in the landscape but in the people you meet along the way. It teaches you something about yourself, too. Resilience, pacing, knowing when to push and when to sit in, spending time in your own head. Those lessons don’t stay on the bike.

What barriers have you faced in cycling?

The beginning is the hardest part. Not knowing what to buy, what to wear, how to talk about it - and then walking into spaces full of people with years of experience, strong opinions, and sometimes an attitude. The entry points into cycling often feel unwelcoming: pace expectations, unwritten rules, the gear snobbery, technical language, subtle gatekeeping and excluding groups make you assume that you need to prove yourself before you even turned one pedal. I know how much courage it takes to show up anyway. I’m an outgoing person, not too intimidated to join group rides but for many people that barrier is simply too high. And don‘t get me wrong - I had to build this confidence over the years, I‘m always super happy to see other women on „mixed“ rides. It just gives me a feeling of not being alone. That’s part of why our women’s group matters - not every ride needs to be a no-drop beginner ride, but it should always be a safe space. In Cologne there are many options for women’s beginner rides, but we wanted to offer something different that we ourselves missed: a place for women who want to ride fast and push themselves, without the testosterone-driven dynamics that often come with that ambition. A safe space where the pace is high but the ego isn’t.

Why were you interested in contributing?

I met Miles at TRAKA and was instantly drawn to what he’s building. CCC speaks to something I’ve believed in professionally and personally for a long time: that representation isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s essential. Sport builds confidence, teaches resilience, and connects people across very different backgrounds. It broadens perspectives in ways that are hard to replicate. Getting more people - especially those who’ve historically been excluded - into cycling isn’t just about diversity for its own sake. It’s about what sport gives people, and making sure those benefits aren’t reserved for the few. Younger people and those underrepresented need to see themselves reflected in the athletes, the brands, the contributors and the storylines. Role models aren’t just inspiring, they’re proof that the door is open. And when more diverse voices shape the culture of a sport, everyone benefits. The perspectives, the stories, the ways of riding and racing and belonging - they all get richer.

As a woman, I’m part of an underrepresented group myself (even though I’m white and financially privileged enough to do this sport) and still that has taught me firsthand how much it means when someone shows up for you. How much a single ally can change the dynamic in a room, on a ride or even in an industry. That’s why I care so deeply about being one too. I’m genuinely eager to learn, to listen and to understand experiences that aren’t my own. Because no single group can shift a culture alone. It takes people willing to show up for each other across those lines. Contributing to CCC feels like exactly that kind of space and I can’t wait to be part of it.

If you’re comfortable, tell us about your personal experience of diversity in cycling

As a woman in the cycling industry, I’ve felt the weight of white boys’ club power structures more times than I can count. There’s a shift happening and I’m genuinely glad for it but there’s still such a long way to go. The feeling that women have to prove themselves twice as hard for half the recognition hasn’t disappeared.

In my work, I’ve always pushed for equality in sponsorship and partnership decisions but still recognised how underrepresented POC are,  not only in campaigns or sponsoring but also the workspaces itself.

Your fondest memory on the bike

Where to start. There are so many, and almost all of them involve gravel and friends. Long days that somehow contain everything: laughter, suffering, silence, self-doubt, snacks, energy, unexpected beauty. The kind of rides where you get completely soaked, bonk or get lost and can’t stop smiling anyway.

Where are you from: Born and raised in Düsseldorf, Germany

Where do you live: Cologne, Germany

Are you part of a club: Bo Bikes (not a club club but that’s the name of the Womens‘ Ride dealer)