Sofía Arreola is a 31-year-old Mexican cyclist who was born in the city of Monterrey in the state of Nuevo León, Mexico. She’s been racing for 14 years. Her specialty on VBR TWENTY24 is track and road cycling where she is not just a sprinter but a true opportunist that likes to get into breakaways. 

Arreola has tried many sports in the past including swimming, triathlons, pentathlons, inline speed skating, and sports shooting before finding her love for cycling. Her father and both of her sisters were also competitive cyclists. She attended college at the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (U.A.N.L.), earning her degree in sports science. 

Her career accomplishments include becoming a double silver medalist at the Track World Championships in 2013, a seven-time Pan American Champion, two-time silver medalist at the Pan American Games, and a bronze medalist at the Pan American Games. She’s won 40 national titles.

The most memorable experience of her career so far was racing in Mexico at the Pan American games in Guadalajara. 

Her favorite route to ride in Roanoke while training with the team is on the Blue Ridge Parkway because of its smooth rolling roads and amazing views.

Sofia Arreola - VBR Twenty24 Pro Cycling 

When asked about her role model, Arreola identified Kristin Armstrong, who recently visited Virginia’s Blue Ridge to spend time with the team and speak at the Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge Annual Meeting.

“She’s still super strong and was kicking our butts!” says Arreola of her team ride with Kristin. 

Much of Sofia’s cycling career challenges have come from the uncertainty of the Mexican Cycling Federation (Federacion Mexicana De Ciclismo, or FMC). Last year, Union Cyclist Internationale, the worldwide governing body for cycling, suspended the organization for infringements regarding governance and electoral processes, giving the FMC one year to restructure. 

Mexican athletes could still race, and this whole season Sofía stayed in top form, but wasn’t called to any world cups or races. 

“With Twenty24, I’ve been really lucky to make it a priority to race for national events and to be able to continue racing this year,” says Arreola. “For me, it’s huge to be a role model for kids in Mexico. I hope I can be a role model and get more kids into cycling or any sport. You can still accomplish your dreams no matter the challenges! I hope there are more kids that want to try cycling and pursuing it professionally.”

In her off-time, Arreola enjoys hiking, baking, and cooking. Lately, she’s been enjoying making pasta from scratch.

You can race with Sofía Arreola and the rest of the VBR TWENTY24 team online through Zwift!