How a Shovel Built One Rider's Freeride Career

Jennifer Miller · 2026-09-15

### The Backyard That Became a Bike Park Few riders shape modern freeriding as creatively as Vero Sandler. But her story didn't start on a podium. It started with a shovel in her hands. We visited her home in North Wales, tucked into meadows and rolling hills. The house is small and unassuming. What rises behind it is anything but. Huge jumps. Perfectly sculpted berms. A shipping container that doubles as storage and a start drop. It looks less like a garden and more like a full-blown bike park. That ratio of living space to playground is ridiculous. And that's exactly what makes it perfect. Mountain biking didn't just find a place in Vero's life. It became the foundation everything else was built on. ### An Ordinary Evening With the Freeride Elite Tonight, Vero isn't riding alone. Her partner Sam Hodgson is here. So are Kade Edwards and Kaos Seagrave. It doesn't feel like a staged lineup of stars. It feels like a normal evening in Vero's world, where the freeride elite drop by for a jump session. Sandler moves through it all with remarkable ease. She's warm, open, always smiling. But she's never focused only on herself. While people send jumps and play with her dogs, she's looking out for everyone. It becomes clear fast: Vero doesn't just want to ride. She wants everyone to ride. She wants everyone to have fun. She wants everyone to feel welcome. That atmosphere is what makes the place work. For all the spectacular lines, her backyard doesn't feel exclusive. It feels like somewhere friends come together. Everyone is welcome. Everyone digs. That's the energy. ### From World Cup Racer to Trail Builder The idea that Wales would become that place was never the plan. As a teenager, the Kiwi had one goal: race the Downhill World Cup. After being selected for the Junior World Championships, she dropped out of university and went all in. For three years, she followed the World Cup circuit, racing around the globe each summer, then returning to New Zealand each winter. After the 2016 season, she couldn't afford the flight home. So she stayed in Wales for the winter and found a job. What began as a practical decision became the turning point. She stopped riding against the clock and discovered a completely different side of mountain biking. > "Everything just fell into place without me really planning anything, which is extremely lucky." ### Why Building Comes Before Riding Our visit came as part of testing the new Santa Cruz Nomad. A bike named for constant movement meets a rider whose story is about staying put. Vero didn't drift from spot to spot. She stayed in Wales, built something, and that build became part of who she is. "Riding is for sure more fun. I build so that I can ride. It's all in the name of biking," she says. For Vero, riding always comes first. Even so, almost everything that defines her riding today traces back to trail building. She built her first trails as a teenager. That habit never left. ### What Trail Building Teaches You Building trails isn't just about dirt. It's about vision, patience, and community. Here's what Vero's approach shows us: - **Ownership:** When you build a line, you understand every inch. That knowledge makes you a better rider. - **Community:** Everyone digs. Everyone rides. That shared effort creates trust and belonging. - **Creativity:** Without race tape, you're free to imagine new lines and new ways to ride. - **Resilience:** Trails wash out. Jumps need shaping. You learn to fix, adapt, and keep going. Vero's backyard is proof. It's not a training ground. It's a gathering place. And it all started with a shovel.