Sophie Wright (cyclist)

Last updated

Sophie Wright
Sophie Wright - 2019 Women's Tour of Scotland (stage 3).jpg
Personal information
Full nameSophie Kate Wright
Born (1999-03-15) 15 March 1999 (age 26)
Norwich, England
Team information
Current teamRibble Outliers
Disciplines
  • Road
  • Gravel
  • Mountain biking
RoleRider
Amateur teams
2017Renvale Racing Team
2018 Torelli–Beastwear–Brother
2025–Ribble Outliers
Professional teams
2018–2020 Cervélo–Bigla Pro Cycling [1] [2]
2021–2022 Alé BTC Ljubljana [3]
2023–2024 Fenix–Deceuninck

Sophie Kate Wright (born 15 March 1999) is an English racing cyclist, who rides for British amateur team Ribble Outliers. Wright is a former junior national mountain biking champion and has represented Great Britain in the UCI Road World Championships.

Contents

Early life

Wright grew up in Horsford in Norfolk. She attended Hellesdon High School. [4]

Career

In 2016 Wright won the junior women's cross-country mountain biking championship which was held in Sweden. [5] Also in 2016, Wright finished in third place in the junior women's road race at the European Road Championships, finishing behind Liane Lippert and Elisa Balsamo. [6]

In 2017 Wright underwent two heart surgeries to cure a condition that threatened to derail her career. [7]

In 2018 Wright decided to concentrate on road cycling. She joined professional WorldTour team Cervélo–Bigla Pro Cycling and won the Tour of the Reservoir. [8] She also rode in the women's road race event at the UCI Road World Championships held in Innsbruck, Austria. [9]

For the 2021 season, Wright joined the Alé BTC Ljubljana team, following the disbandment of Équipe Paule Ka. [10]

In 2024, Wright took part in the British National Road Race Championships. She attacked from the leading group with 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) to go, however suffered a puncture whilst in the lead and was unable to finish on the podium. [11]

For the 2025 season, Wright joined Ribble Outliers, primarily competing in gravel cycling. [12]

References

  1. "Bigla Pro Cycling Team". Cyclingnews.com . Immediate Media Company. Archived from the original on 3 February 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  2. "Bigla - Katusha". UCI.org. Union Cycliste Internationale. Archived from the original on 19 January 2020. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  3. "Ale' BTC Ljubljana". UCI.org. Union Cycliste Internationale. Archived from the original on 10 January 2021. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  4. "Olympic hopeful Sophie Wright from Horsford wins mountain bike comeback - 12 days after five-hour heart operation". Eastern Daily Press. 26 April 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  5. Freezer, David. "European junior mountain biking title for Norfolk cyclist Sophie Wright". Norwich Evening News. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  6. O'Brien, Tom (16 September 2016). "Brilliant bronze for Sophie Wright at UEC European Road Championships". British Cycling. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  7. "Sophie Wright: From two heart operations to the World Championships". BBC Sport. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  8. Fotheringham, William. "Sophie Wright aims to scale heights on demanding world road race course". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  9. "2018: World Championships – Women's Road Race". ProCyclingStats. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
  10. "Young and talented British Sophie Wright will race with Alé BTC Ljubljana Cipollini in 2021". Alé BTC Ljubljana . Associazione Sportiva Dilettantistica Alé. 14 November 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  11. "Pfeiffer Georgi retains British women's title with searing late attack on Saltburn Bank". Cyclingnews. 23 June 2024. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  12. "Meet the Ribble Outliers: Sophie Wright – Freedom Found On Gravel". Ribble Cycles. Cyclesport North Ltd. 15 May 2025. Retrieved 24 June 2025.