Originally published in the Summer 2020 issue of SPOKE+BLOSSOM

Without warning, another rider appeared at my side. She was dressed in a blue and fiery orange race kit, smiling easily as she turned the pedals at a pace that would have me gritting my teeth in effort. It was 30-year-old Alexis Skarda, Grand Junction’s star professional mountain biker. She was born to go fast. In fact, her first cycling-related memory dates back to when she was 9 years old and practicing triathlon transitions, the process of changing from swimming to biking to running, when a neighbor’s child asked why she was doing it.

“I thought that was a weird question to ask and didn’t know how to respond at the time. I just wanted to be fast!”

Her parents were runners and triathletes. Alexis’s focus through middle and high school became running. Cycling was a very small part of her existence at the time, and even then, it was usually a road ride. This would change during her time attending Colorado Mesa University (CMU) in Grand Junction, shocking everyone who knew her.

Alexis started at CMU as a leading runner in the cross country program. Eventually, when an injury prevented her from running, her coach recognized her need for an outlet and made a rare exception by allowing her to race a mountain bike. “At the time, CMU’s mountain bike program was small and in need of female riders, so they were willing to take me on mid-season,” she says.

“I wasn’t a huge fan of mountain biking at first — I liked the solid workout of a road bike more,” she adds. She stuck with it and soon discovered that the more she rode, the more she enjoyed it. She found the challenges and freedom thrilling. Thanks to her huge fitness base from a lifetime of running, she quickly excelled, winning collegiate nationals her first year riding. She repeated her winning performance the following two years, while also managing to graduate and earn a teaching certificate.

Then, she decided to leap into professional mountain bike racing. “It’s funny, in mountain biking you’re either an amateur or a professional, there isn’t a middle ground. You’re thrown to the wolves. I went from being at the front of the pack to the back of the pack. I wasn’t used to losing, and I had to dig deep to discover the motivation to do it for myself and not rely on the external motivation from winning,” she explains.

In the subsequent years, Alexis attacked her weaknesses so she could compete with the world’s best. One of these weaknesses appeared after a crash on one of Grand Junction’s technical trails left her with an injury. She lost her confidence to ride difficult terrain.

“I realized that to be competitive at the highest levels, I needed to improve at technical riding. I needed to relearn how to approach technical features,” she says.

Though she’d session difficult trail features with Geoff, her significant other, it wasn’t working. “He’s a great teacher and so patient, but it’s just too easy to get frustrated or doubt

someone so close. I decided to work my skills with another local woman, Sara Landis, who is an amazing technical rider. She helped me see that the way men and women ride is different because of our bodies, our balance and how we think. Sara was able to explain things in a way that made sense, and her confidence rubbedoff on me. She was instrumental in helping me understand that I already had the skills. I just needed the belief. I think this is true for most women,” she exclaims.

With this new approach, Alexis rapidly moved through the women’s ranks. She’s ridden to podium finishes in races such as the Grand Junction Off Road, National Pro XTC races and has twice represented the USA at mountain biking’s highest level, the World Championships. Though her racing schedule takes her throughout the U.S. and Europe, Alexis enjoys coming home to share her experience with others.

“I love the Grand Valley! I’ve got some of the best trails right in my backyard and the weather is good for riding year-round,” she says.

As an assistant coach to the CMU women’s mountain bike team, her depth of experience instrumentally helps the CMU women bring home multiple championships. Then there are the frequent rides with local high school teams and her involvement in Grand Valley Youth Cycling. She enjoys leading the GJ Off-Road pre- ride and teaching clinics, such as Girls on Bikes. Her best advice to other riders? “Ride with people who make it a good experience and don’t be hard on yourself. After all, it’s just bikes!”

This advice isn’t just fluff. With the 2020 season being shaken up by a pandemic, Alexis is staying positive. She continues to smile through training miles with her goal to lead the pack across the finish line at races that include the Grand Junction Off Road, Breck Epic, Marathon Nationals and XC Nationals. If this year doesn’t happen, she’ll be back next year. “I plan on racing another four or five years. As long as I’m still improving and having fun, I’ll keep pushing.”

Athlete Profile: Alexis Skarda