Freeride Stepping Stones Built by Veronique Sandler

When I was growing up, there was little in the way of support for women in downhill racing, but I could open a magazine and see, by the examples set by the likes of Tracey Mosely, Rachel Atherton, Emmeline Ragot, and Sabrina Jonnier that it could be done. Their determination, and that of generations of pioneering women before them, laid the foundations for a career path to which someone, like myself, could aspire. But for the young women who didn’t like competition or felt restricted by the race tape, where or to whom could they look to for inspiration, example and direction?

Veronique Sandler and I both followed similar trajectories. We met racing World Cups, but then both chose to leave the race track in search of an avenue to satisfy the creative side of our personalities. The intensity of a race run creates a powerful emotional reaction… high, low and not much in between. Vero realized that, while she loved riding, racing was ruining the experience. A New Zealander, Vero had relocated to the UK and soon found, through hiking jumps and small sections of trail with her brother, Leo, and their friends, a new passion for riding.

The format of dedicating riding time to repeating jumps, turns, and bits of trail over and over again, allowed her skills to explode, and, all of sudden, she was enjoying a rate of progression that years of racing had never provoked. She started building trails again, an activity she and Leo enjoyed doing as kids. She realized the features and the feelings of which she had dreamed, were hers to create. She could literally build her own career.

What made Vero stand out were the tricks she was learning, ones that have almost faded with time. As contest tricks evolved, the original ‘old school’ tricks seemed to be forgotten. But Vero was bringing them back. Each new learn was because it appealed to her, not because it was popular. This choice to ride what pleased and suited her evolved into Vero quickly developing a unique-to-her style. She charged ahead; leading with authenticity and the desire to hold her own space in this traditional and tightly- bound industry.

Vero’s style and creativity was noticed on social media by some of the top brands of the sport and soon she was finding support in ways that racing had not allowed for her. She collaborated with Revolution Bike Park to create a signature jump line, Vision Line. In the past, budgets for big custom builds like this, had traditionally been reserved for men.

Vero was one of the first women to be invited, in 2021, to participate in “The Nines” - one of the most progressive big air events in MTB. Alongside the likes of Casey Brown, Robin Goomes and Caroline Buchanan, she helped prove that any woman who wants to chase it, belongs in freeride.

Soon afterwards, for the first time in history, women were invited to Darkfest (in South Africa), famed for the size of its jumps. Vero and the other four women, forever altered the course of women’s freeride by blowing expectations out of the water by completing top to bottom runs on, literally, the world’s biggest jumps. And they did so with not only experience and professionalism, but with huge style and flair, setting the stage for future generations.

Vero’s latest adventure is, with her boyfriend Sam, building the perfect set of jumps in their backyard. The finished product is a complete work of art which snakes its way down and through the green, Welsh hillside they call home. Forethought and planning went into the design, and I was able to bop around on the smaller line, riding features that I wouldn’t typically get to ride, while Vero and Sam boosted above me on the big line.

Spending time with Vero reminded me of the importance of having access to our role models; which mountain biking is really good for. The superstars of the sports are easily reached, and, quite often, easily met. I found myself feeling the power of a regenerative spark of inspiration - just by being in her presence and watching her work.

Vero had a dream which became an idea, then a plan and, finally, she got in a digger to stack and shape the mountains and jumps she wanted to ride. Out of the hillside, she carved a space for herself to flourish as an athlete. She didn’t wait around for it to happen to her. She made it happen for herself and, by doing so, she has dug in the stepping stones for the future of freeride. Vero’s legacy is the space she has helped create not just for herself, but for all those women coming after us who want a future in freeride.