How a Shovel Turned Vero Sandler Into a Freeride Icon

Robert Wilson · 2026-09-15

Few riders blend creativity and freeriding like Vero Sandler. But her path to the spotlight didn't start on a podium. It began with a shovel in her hands. We visited her home in North Wales to talk trail building, community, and why great riding starts long before the drop-in. ### A Backyard That Redefines Home Tucked into the green hills of North Wales, Vero's house looks ordinary from the outside. Step around back, though, and you'll swear you've stumbled into a bike park. Massive jumps, sculpted berms, and a shipping container that doubles as a start ramp dominate the yard. The living space is small; the playground is huge. That ratio says everything about what matters here. This isn't a private training ground. It's a gathering spot. Tonight, her partner Sam Hodgson is here, along with Kade Edwards and Kaos Seagrave. No cameras, no staged lineup—just friends sessioning jumps until the light fades. Vero moves through it all with an easy warmth, constantly checking on everyone, laughing, making sure each person feels at home. ### From World Cup Racer to Trail Builder As a teenager, Vero had one goal: race the Downhill World Cup. She made the Junior World Championships, dropped out of university, and spent three years chasing the circuit. Summers were spent racing around the globe; winters meant returning to New Zealand. After the 2016 season, she couldn't afford the flight home. So she stayed in Wales, got a job, and figured she'd save up. That practical choice became the turning point. "Everything just fell into place without me really planning anything," she says. She stopped racing the clock and discovered a whole different side of mountain biking. ### Building Is Riding For Vero, riding always comes first. But almost everything that defines her riding today traces back to trail building. She built her first trails as a teen, and that hands-on approach never left. "Riding is for sure more fun. I build so that I can ride. It's all in the name of biking," she says. That philosophy shapes her backyard too. Everyone who shows up is welcome to dig, and everyone who digs gets to ride. It's not about exclusivity—it's about community. The energy comes from shared effort and shared stoke. - **Everyone digs:** No free rides; the crew builds together. - **Everyone's welcome:** Pros and beginners alike find a place here. - **Riding comes first:** The build exists to serve the ride. ### The Takeaway for Event Pros If you organize mountain biking events, Vero's story offers a blueprint. Authentic communities grow when people feel invested. Give them a shovel, a jump, and a reason to stay. That's how you turn a backyard into a destination—and a rider into an icon. Our visit coincided with testing the new Santa Cruz Nomad. A bike named for constant movement met a rider whose story is all about staying put. Vero didn't drift. She stayed in Wales, built something real, and that build became her legacy.