Athlete Spotlight: Alessandra
June 22, 2022 | Davos Dash. We are at an all uphill race in Vail, Colorado, one of the most challenging races for our young athletes. One of our athletes, Alessandra, makes it to the top of the 3.5 mile uphill climb, she breathlessly takes in the views, everyone is there to welcome her at the top of the race - success! She made it.
Since joining The Cycle Effect Program, Alessandra has become a lot more confident and outgoing - trying new things both in the sport and in everyday life. Her confidence really shines through on June 22nd as she heads back down the hill and decides to do the race course again. But this time she volunteers to race as a role model supporting the younger girls who are newer to racing, “I wouldn’t do that again,” she says laughing, “but it is my proudest moment because I’ve never done a race twice or volunteered to do a race twice. It was really hard but I felt a big sense of accomplishment and I got to support our younger athletes.”
Meet Alessandra: the star athlete of the Davos Dash. She is a Junior in High School who has been in The Cycle Effect program for five years. Alessandra recently sat down with our team to tell us how she has grown from TCE, and share her perspective on why getting more girls on bikes is so important.
Alessandra smiles as she explains what being part of the program is like,
“you get to experience a lot of new things that you wouldn’t have tried before - like going up into the mountains, seeing beautiful views, or just struggling up a hill and finally getting to the downhill, or going really fast and having the time of your life.”
Our goal at TCE is to teach lessons both on and off the bike. For Alessandra, her biggest lesson from the trail has been perseverance. She explains,
“TCE is an amazing group that pushes you really hard, but also shows you what you can do and brings out your full potential.”
Alessandra applies the strength, confidence, and perseverance she has gained in the program throughout her life, especially with schoolwork and tests. She shares,
“I know classes are going to be really hard, but after being a part of TCE, I now have that belief in myself that I can get it done.”
Over this past year Alessandra’s coaches have seen her thrive both on and off the bike - as a dedicated student pursuing a 4.0 GPA and as a dedicated athlete showing up to every practice, volunteering her time, and serving as a role model for the younger athletes in the program. This past summer she served as a Junior Coach, a paid position that provides our older athletes with an opportunity to take what they’ve learned through the program and apply it to mentoring younger athletes. Alessandra says the experience pushed her out of her comfort zone to become a leader,
“It’s gotten me to think about how what I do impacts others too…because everyday people look up to you. You have to check how you act and be the best person you can be.”
When asked to describe the future she wants for herself in three words, Alessandra shared: College, Happiness, Travel.
The Cycle Effect is honored to be on this journey alongside Alessandra and support her as her limitless future unfolds. Together, we will continue to forge ahead with perseverance, confidence, and determination — steadfast in our mission to enable more girls to reach their full potential in mountain biking and in life.
Please consider donating to The Cycle Effect to help us empower more young women through mountain biking.