Name: Catalina Anais Soto Campos
Date of Birth – 8th April 2001
Nationality – Chilean
2020 Team – WCC Team
Former Teams – None
Career Achievements –
1st Chile National Championship RR Junior (2019), Chile National Championship TT Junior (2019)
14th World Championship TT Junior (2018)
16th Le Samyn des Dames (2020), World Championship TT Junior (2019)
17th World Championship RR Junior (2019)
28th World Championship RR Junior (2018)
38th Omloop het Nieuwsblad (2020)
Who taught you to ride and bike & how old were you?
I think a lot of people taught me how to ride a bike, just in different ways!
Both my parents were the ones that encouraged me to ride my bike back in Chile when I was probably 4 or 5, we would ride to school, through markets and massive bike rides though the city organised by NGOs. I think this gave me a lot of confidence when it comes to riding on the road.
When I was 10 I joined ‘Team Urbanos’ (a track team) that helped me heaps on gaining confidence on the bike, we would do cool activities with our track bikes and it was always in a very fun environment. Then, we moved to Australia with my family and we joined the ‘Brunswick Cycling Club’ at 14 years old, and here is where I learned the most. I remember it was a rainy day and we were doing rollers in the clubrooms, and I was amazed by the fact that you can push and pull in a pedal stroke!
When I was 17, I came to the World Cycling Center in Switzerland and all the coaches gave me great tips on how to be more efficient in the bike, which helped heaps in the junior ranks and now I just wanna learn more for my elite debut!
What was your first proper road bike & what colour was it?
Most people would disagree with me on this one… but given that I only owned a track bike, I just raced with a front brake! With this bike, I won my first ever road national champs!! It was a light blue colour, with a Harry Potter sticker in the front tube. Then I got a pink Avanti, which I also loved very much.
What’s your favourite routes/places to ride?
I know there’s heaps of places that I have to go, but at the moment nothing beats Swiss, I love the roads and the climbs! Even tho I’m not a proper climber I really like the feeling of going up!
Also, in Australia the Great Ocean Road or in Chile going to El Cajon Del Maipo never gets old.
What’s the most important piece of kit/advice that has helped boost your performance?
A) Don’t worry about how long it will take to achieve your dreams, time will pass anyway!
B) When it gets harder don’t look down, look forward.
What tips do you have to keep the love of cycling going amidst all the training?
To always take time to think where you are, what you are doing and to remember your goals every morning.
What experiences are still to do on your cycling ‘bucket list’?
As I have just come out of the junior ranks, I think there’s heaps of things to do. I will welcome every race and opportunity with the biggest smile! Even though I have just raced the classics and I would love to win one of those one day. I developed a weird love for cobbles and windy/wet races.
Thanks for reading about Catalina Anais Soto Campos – more Women’s Cycling Profiles can be found here
