mountain biking

Isabela Wester-Rivera is taking the mountain biking world by storm. At 17, she competes on the Puerto Rico National Team and Donovan Racing Team and holds both the title of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Mountain Bike Champion in her category (Junior, female). While her journey began as a competitive rock climber, after nearly a decade in the sport, Isabela pivoted to focus solely on mountain biking—a decision that has sparked new opportunities and aspirations.

“I started climbing competitively when I was seven after watching Ashima Shiraishi in a climbing competition,” she shared. “I started mountain biking to increase my endurance and leg power for dynamic jumps in climbing. It was then that my family and I discovered that I had great talent and skill for not just climbing but also cycling.”

While she had a passion for climbing, mountain biking presented a promising path forward.

But Isabela’s journey in the biking community hasn’t come without challenges. “Mountain biking is a male-dominated sport, especially in the USA, where competitors don’t always look like me,” she explained. “I am not only a female but also Latina and on the autism spectrum. So when I race, I remind myself of everyone I’m representing—females, Latinas, bilingual speakers, those who are neurodiverse, and most of all my family—those who are with me and those who are no longer with me.”

Isabela’s future is as bright as her achievements. She plans to attend the University of Colorado Boulder next fall to study architecture, coding, or linguistics. As she works toward the goal of representing Puerto Rico at the World Championships, her dream of competing in the Olympics remains in sight. She hopes her journey inspires others to pursue their dreams, no matter the obstacles.

Follow Isabela’s journey via Instagram.