Peta Mullens: Rolling With Resilience

Words James Ion - Photography provided by Peta Mullens (Photographer Credited)

Credit: Adam Koble

Peta Mullens is no stranger to the cycling world. With 13 Australian national titles across road, mountain bike, and cyclocross disciplines, her career has been defined by versatility and endurance. Recently, Mullens has transitioned her focus almost entirely to gravel racing, attracted by the sense of adventure and community the discipline fosters. Her move reflects the broader evolution of gravel as a professional platform, blending endurance, tactics, and rugged independence.

Speaking with PRO Gravel Magazine, Peta offers a candid reflection on her 2024 season, her unexpected knee injury, and her wildcard ambitions for 2025. Despite setbacks, Mullens' characteristic positivity and resilience shine through as she looks ahead to the new season.

Battling Through the 2024 Season

Reflecting on last year, Peta explains, "My doctor didn't want me to race last year, but I thought, 'I don't want to miss the opportunity. I might never get it again,'" reflecting on the Life Time Grand Prix. "Because we couldn't really find out what was wrong, I just battled through."

After a gruelling 2024 schedule, which included performances at SBT GRVL and Big Sugar Gravel, Mullens was determined to continue, but hidden health issues persisted. An infected saddle sore, stemming from an incident two years prior during an Australian gravel odyssey, had quietly plagued her. It wasn't until a pre-season check-up that she received clarity, leading to an enforced reset.

"I had to go through three rounds of antibiotics, and now I finally don't have a saddle sore. My blood test results came back clean. I made the decision not to do Sea Otter and actually prepare properly for the rest of the season — to be good rather than average like I was last year."

Adding to her challenges, Peta faced a knee injury that forced her to miss RDL GRVL and nearly six weeks of training. "Now I feel like I have a new lease on life. No problems with my back, knee, or saddle sore. Honestly, it's amazing not to have a saddle sore — I had one every day for two years!"

"The wildcard works on the lowest number of points," Peta explains. "If you DNF, you get zero points and you're out. So if you have a poor result, it would be almost impossible to wildcard in."

Mullens was initially targeting the Sea Otter Classic and Unbound Gravel to qualify for the Life Time Grand Prix via a wildcard. However, the knee issue prevented her from starting at Sea Otter, which took her out of the running.

"The opportunity to cut into the Grand Prix is gone. I decided not to be at Sea Otter; I see this as an opportunity, as I see great things in the future, and I can focus on impressing in the remainder of the races to get selected next year."

Her absence at Sea Otter meant a clear run at Unbound Gravel — but fate had other plans.

Credit: Taylor Farman

A Crash, a Comeback, and a Career Shift

While racing Speed Week, a notorious series of high-speed criteriums across Georgia and South Carolina known for its intensity and elite-level fields, Mullens suffered a dramatic crash during the penultimate race.

"I broke my collarbone in the crash," she says, "but I got back on my bike and finished second."

The feat is astonishing. Despite the pain and severity of the injury, she completed the race and stood on the podium. Within ten days, she was back in Australia, underwent surgery, and was already making plans to be back on the bike.

Unfortunately, the crash means Unbound Gravel is now off the calendar for 2025. But Mullens isn’t deterred.

"I’m still aiming for MTB Nationals in 15 weeks," she says. "And my season highlight will now be the end-of-season Life Time block — Chequamegon MTB, Little Sugar, and Big Sugar."

And while recovering, another opportunity came into focus.

"I’ve been accepted into the Fire Brigade," Peta reveals. "It’s a career path I’ve been interested in for a while and it’s not easy to be accepted into in Australia." Looking at how this may affect her decision about retirement it could make that decision easier depending on what happens next.  "I’ll go through the steps of recruitment and if I pass the training I’ll reassess then. It’s not something I can put on hold at my own discretion so bikes will have to fit around it for the foreseeable future."

Riding with Joy and Perspective

Despite these obstacles, Mullens remains refreshingly positive. "I'd happily throw the wildcard opportunity to have my health back and be able to perform at races later in the season. That's not even a question."

Her time in gravel racing has reinforced a love for cycling beyond competition. "I love the events, I love the people. Being part of the Grand Prix was really special. It's like schoolies (Australian term of school leavers letting off steam once high school is over — think Spring Break!) for 30-year-old bike riders — you travel the country doing all these races together."

Mullens races in a unique privateer structure with Giant and Liv. While not part of a traditional full team setup, she benefits from mechanical and logistical support alongside fellow global athletes Brendan "Trekky" Johnston, Cole Paton (USA), and Melissa Rollins (USA).

"We have a director and mechanic who support us at Life Time races, but outside of Giant and Liv, we all have our own sponsors. It's essentially four privateers going to races together. We all wear different kits, run different tire brands, and have individual equipment sponsors, which is a headache for the mechanic, but it allows us independence."

Mullens also discussed the pressures, or lack thereof, from sponsors when choosing her race calendar. "I’ve been lucky. I’ve had long-standing relationships with my sponsors — over 20 years with SRAM, and 8 with Giant — so I’ve always had the flexibility to choose my races. That said, some events like Sea Otter are high-profile and tech-oriented, and while there’s never explicit pressure, there’s certainly an expectation to show up and give back through presence, community interaction, and exposure."

With a rich background across cycling disciplines, Mullens believes her varied experience gives her an edge.

"Exposure to different bikes, setups, surface types, and race experiences is crucial. We're now seeing gravel-specific athletes, but having a mixed background helps."

Her goal races for 2025 remain Big Sugar Gravel and the late-season block. "Big Sugar excites me the most. It's chaotic and underbiked for a gravel race, and I think it suits me."

Credit: Taylor Farman

As for life beyond racing, Mullens remains philosophical, even despite the latest setback.

"I'm hopeful about this season. If it's a great one, there's no stopping me. As long as I'm competitive, I'll continue. When I stop being competitive, then I'll reassess."

Mullens also candidly reflects on gravel's future: "Gravel will survive because of mass participation, but commercial investment, especially from out-of-industry sponsors, will be difficult. These events are expensive to cover live, and they’re not always the most spectator-friendly. Without visibility, it’s tough to attract big outside brands."

She also touched on the importance of American participation in the Grand Prix series: "It really matters to American sponsors that American athletes are part of the series. International riders bring great exposure, but the organisers have a core value of growing the sport domestically. That could eventually influence how many wildcard or international spots are available."

When asked what advice she'd give young riders, she is clear: "Keep it fun. Do it for yourself."

Even after over 20 years on the bike, Peta Mullens' passion is undiminished, a testament to resilience, adaptability, and an undying love for two wheels.

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