Interview Vida Lopez De San Roman

An American that floorishes on European soil. Since Vida Lopez De San Roman crossed the Ocean, her form kept on rising. Her victory at the World Cup in Hulst established her as a world class rider. The junior rider is one of the most technical skilled riders of her generation. The young Californian will appear in three disciplines this year, as she will combine cyclocross with road and mountainbiking as well. The Worldchampionships are the biggest goal for this Winter. A few weeks ahead of this race, we catch up with her. She tells you about her experiences on her journey and about her ambitions for her race of the season. 

How did you get into cyclocross?

I first picked up mountain biking when I was 11. I got into MTB because my aunt and older brother both also did MTB races. My aunt even went to the Olympics, which inspired me to start racing. I raced my first race when I was 12 years old. It was just a local race, but it was so much fun. Through that I got in touch with the local cyclocross club. They were entusiatic to introduce me to the sport. Since my brother also race cross, I felt I should follow in his footsteps.

When I became a newcomer (15-16) I joined the Bear National Team. The Bear National Team is the biggest MTB & Cross development team in the US. The team has developed a lot of current professional riders such as Rily Amos, Kate Courtney & Lance Haidet. Julia Violich – the team director – has helped me and others so much in our development. In the past 10 years her impact on the level of CX and MTB in the US has been enormous. Without her I wouldn’t be where I am now.

This Winter, you're having your second campaign in Europe, what do you expect of it?

I’m currently representing the US national team in Europe. This season we are racing all 6 youth world cups, and a number of high lever races over the Christmas period. The season ends with the world championships, which is my biggest goal. I aspire to be on the podium, but I try to keep my expectations lower. Last year I expected to end in the top 10 of my first world championships, so I was pretty disappointed when I came just short of my goal.

The start order at the world championships is determined by the world cup standings. The first 8 get to start on the front row. I am currently in the top 8 and I want to maintain my spot in the ranking in the remaining 2 world cups. I started the world cup season very well in November. In Troyes and Dublin I got my best world cup results ever with a 4^th and a 5^th place. I went to the US and became national champion before returning to Europe for the next 2 world cups. Those races were a mixed bag. After a hard race in Namur I feel like I am getting back on track. I am looking forward to the next world cups and races.

What are your favorite kind of tracks?

I like really punchy and technical courses. The favorite race I have done is Hulst. I liked the punchy hills, big drops & numerous off camber which required focus and technical skills. The course was challenging, but still had a nice flow. A few other courses I like are Namur & Herentals. Overall I like European courses more because the are diverse and have more technical aspects to them than typical US races. European races also suit me better, since they are more technical.

You're currently one of the best riders in your category. How does it feel for you to be amongst the Worlds' best?

It feels really special to be in the mix with the best junior women in the world. It means a lot to me because I work really hard for it. It has been a goal and dream of mine since I started cycling to reach this level.

What are your strengths and what would you still like to improve?

My biggest strength in cyclocross is my drive. When I race, I want to do as well as possible. I want to improve my tactical skills both for cyclocross and MTB, especially since racing in Europe requires a lot more of that than US racing. I hope racing on the road this summer – which will be my first official road season – will help me with that.

What are your goals in the sport on the long term?

My dream is becoming a professional cyclist and represent my country at the Olympics someday. I want to reach my full potential in cycling by becoming the best athlete and version of myself whilst loving what I do. I want to inspire young girls to chase their dreams by showing them its possible for an American women to compete at the highest level in Europe. Being from a small town in California without a big cycling scene, there was no easy pathway to where I am now in my racing career as a junior. I hope it shows everyone that you can chase your dreams no matter where you are from.

What are your biggest interests outside the sport?

Besides cycling I like to hang out with my friends. We usually drive around and listen to music. I also love running and going on hikes.

How do you deal with the long travels?

I try to sleep (on the plane) as much as possible, and adjust to the timezone as quickly as possible. Arriving a few days before the race is useful. I am super lucky to have family living in Spain, which allows me to stay and train there between the Christmas block and the Benidorm World Cup.

Pictures : Thepenultimatestage. (Ethan Glading)