Sofia Schugar | Australian Crit Racing, Team Best & Other Epic Bike Adventures

Sofia Schugar’s a lifelong mover who got her start in triathlon at UC San Diego, but the bike was always the part that made sense. One ride turned into a few races, and before long, cycling took over completely—first in Australia, where she learned to race crits the hard way, and now across Europe, where she’s found her groove in the gravel world!In this week’s episode, we chat about Sofia’s path from college racing to standing on international start lines. We talk about rebuilding after setbacks, finding confidence in unpredictable seasons, and chasing long days on the bike with friends. Between Girona summers and San Diego winters, she’s built a life that’s equal parts racing and exceptional  fun—community rides that somehow turn into all-day missions, donut stops, and a lot of laughter along the way.We get into her time with Team Best San Diego, the women’s rides that sparked a bigger local scene, and how she’s shaping her 2025 race calendar—a mix of UCI gravel events, spontaneous ideas, and what she calls “psychotic fun.” Sofia also talks about navigating hormones, health, and balance in a sport that rarely slows down, and why staying curious—and not taking it all too seriously—might be the key to longevity.Hope you enjoy this one—bikes, community, and all the good chaos in between.Show NotesTeam Best San Diego — inclusive cycling club and community hub based in Southern Californiahttps://teambest.cc/MAAP Cycling — apparel brand supporting Sofia through the Pro Forward Teammaap.ccThe Traka — Girona-based gravel race that marked a breakthrough moment in Sofia’s racing careerthetraka.comGravel & Wine — community-driven gravel event in California’s wine countrygravelandwine.com24 Hours in the Old Pueblo — endurance mountain-bike relay in Arizona epicrides.comFollow Sofia Instagram @sofiashugar@wanderstudioss for more from us!If you enjoyed the episode, leaving a quick Spotify review really helps small shows like ours grow :)