Sarah Didier - More About Me Blog Post

My name is Sarah Didier and I am a mountain biker, gravel cyclist, and (ultra) endurance athlete. Born and raised in Switzerland, I relocated to Orange County in 2020. I started mountain biking about 15 years ago. I was hiking in the Swiss Alps and I remember seeing a group of friends riding down the mountain in the recently opened bike park. It looked like so much fun, I immediately wanted to try it too! The next weekend I rented a downhill bike and the rest is history… Over the years, I added more and more pedaling to my practice and left the bike park. Today, my happy place is anywhere on an awesome trail, enjoying the surrounding nature and taking in the beautiful landscapes. I love discovering new places, going up and over mountains, that feeling of freedom and being able to go wherever my legs, wheels and heart can take me. 

As a woman, I find cycling very empowering. This sport is constantly making me learn new skills, teaching me to believe in myself and making me achieve things I didn’t think I wascapable of, like installing a rear derailleur or riding through the mountains alone at night… Whether it’s on or off the bike, it’s crazy what we can do when we overcome our fears and doubts, and when we ignore what some people think a woman should or shouldn’t be doing.

Curious by nature, I am always looking for ways to push my limits and explore what is unknown to me. Over the past 3 years I have competed in different events from Ironman to enduro racing, from our local XC races to legendary races like Leadville 100, throwing in a few bikepacking races here and there… anything that makes my heart beat faster! All these events are not only a way to keep improving as an athlete, but also a way to travel around the country (and beyond!), meet new people and celebrate cycling together.

For me, the cycling community is an endless source of inspiration with some of the most amazing humans I have ever met. The positive energy that I feel when surrounded by people on bikes makes me want to be the best version of myself and I hope that I can also inspire people to get out there and experience the beauty, freedom and power of cycling themselves. I recently started to volunteer as a coach for our local High School MTB team in South OC (San Juan Composite) and accompanying those kids on their cycling journey and help them develop their skills and passion for the sport is simply amazing. 

I also wanted to share my love for adventure rides and create an opportunity for other people to give bikepacking a try, so in May I organized my first multi-day event. 7 participants joined me to ride and camp through Orange County for 3 days, for a total of 100 miles and over 13,000ft of climbing. We helped each other get through the ride during the day and shared stories around the campfire at night, we made new friends and strengthened existing friendships. Above all, we smiled and laughed a lot, rode beautiful trails and had so much fun together! A second edition is already being planned from May 2-4 2025, and you can read more about the event here (link to other story?).

Long story short, cycling has become part of my identity and I definitely wouldn’t be the person I am today without it. It’s hard to explain why you love something so much when it feels so natural to you. Whenever I’m on my bike, I just feel I’m where I’m supposed to be, doing what I’m supposed to do. It’s happiness to me.