Chloe, 14, with El Grupo since 2012
If I had a superpower, it would be to: Read People’s Minds
Hidden Talent: I can touch my tongue to my nose
Favorite Style of Riding: I’m excited for the roadbike season
Favorite Trip: Gila, we bonded a lot as a team
Favorite Hobby outside of riding bikes: Photography
Favorite Bike Ride in Town: Tuesday Morning Ride
Quotable Quote by Ignacio: The bigger your smile, the faster you’ll go.
Favorite Dessert: Pistachio Gelato
Why do you like to ride your bike?
It’s really fun and you can go super fast or just ride with friends.
Contrast how you were when you first started riding with El Grupo to now.
When I first started riding, I still didn’t really talk to people. Slowly after a few months, I started to talk to people and open up and be good friends with them. Now, I think El Grupo is my family and everyone’s really nice to me. When I first joined, I wasn’t good at skills, I still had a lot to learn. Once I hit a traffic cone and I broke my jaw. I have definitely learned how to ride my bike a lot better! I’m able to go on the Shootout and fight for wheels and have a lot of fun.
How does El Grupo challenge you?
You have to come to practice everyday if you want to improve yourself. You just have to challenge yourself- sometimes that’s really hard for me. El Grupo is the first thing that I’ve felt really passionate about, I actually want to try hard. Sometime that goes into different aspects of my life, like school.
What are your goals with El Grupo?
I’m really excited to maybe go to some races in California and do high quality crits and see what it’s like to race against pros and 1,2’s and other 3’s. I’m also really excited for Gila and I’m so jazzed because last year was such a good experience. My best event was the crit, I got fourth place. That race was the first race that I acutally felt like there was a lot of teamwork going on. We had strategized that whole plan the night before and it just worked out- it was pretty cool!
In your time with El Grupo, what are three things you’ve gotten out of it?
I feel like I’ve gotten the ability to make friends and also the ability to open up to people and talk to people and the ability to be myself.
What’s one of your biggest moments/highlights so far with El Grupo?
The Old Pueblo Grand Prix was an exciting race for me. That was the first time that I got to race with pros and really great women. That race was so hard and I was close to finishing, I know that I can do it now!
What are your strengths on the bike?
Being in position, and I have the nickname of the ‘Sharpest Elbows of the West’. I’m definitely not afraid to fight for a position.
How do you overcome challenges?
It’s really important to talk to Ignacio and tell him how you’re feeling. It’s good to keep going to all of the practices even if you don’t know why you can’t push hard one day. Also, not telling yourself you’re not going hard enough, but getting everything out of your mind and pedaling.
What would you tell 13-year Chloe who just started the team?
Don’t be afraid and shy to talk to people. There’s gonna be someone there to help you out. Stay true to yourself and be a happy person but don’t hide if you’re not happy.
