Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alison Tetrick. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alison, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

My career as a professional athlete gave me the platform, but it also gave me the responsibility to do something more with it. That’s why, during COVID, my husband and I founded Saga Ventures — our version of a sourdough project, but one with lasting impact. I wanted to take everything cycling had given me and pour it back into the community that had given me so much over the years.

At its core, Saga is a marketing and brand activation consultancy with purpose, but it’s also an impact-driven mission. We raise funds and awareness for #MoreGirlsOnBikes and support programs like NICA’s GRiT (Girls Riding Together) and Little Bellas, because I know firsthand that the pathway into sport isn’t always clear or equitable. I didn’t grow up with a roadmap to pro cycling — I came from ranch life, NCAA tennis, and biochemistry before cycling and Team USA became my calling. Now, through Saga, I get to turn that nontraditional journey into opportunities for others.

Saga allows me to merge strategy with storytelling. I’ve been able to help create and amplify movements like #MoreWomenMoreMiles and #WATCHTHEFEMMES — what began as rallying cries have become platforms for visibility and change. At Unbound Gravel, leading 150+ women on a 100-mile ride wasn’t just a career highlight, it was proof that when you open the door, women show up. That energy inspired Life Time to add 70+ more women’s entries, which sold out immediately.

On the media side, Saga has also taken women’s cycling stories far beyond the finish line. Co-hosting THEMOVE with Lance Armstrong and Mari Holden during the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, streamed daily on Peacock (and wherever you listen to your podcasts), was proof of concept: we reached millions of fans, became the #1 downloaded sports podcast in the U.S. during the Tour, and showed that the audience is not only there, but hungry for these stories.

Saga Ventures is meaningful to me because it’s where all my worlds meet: athlete and advocate, strategist and storyteller, cowgirl and consultant. It’s a business, yes — but it’s also a mission. Every time I see a young rider light up at a NICA GRiT event or watch a sponsor realize the power of investing in women’s cycling, I know Saga is doing exactly what it was meant to do: make miles into movements.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I grew up on a cattle ranch in California, which gave me the opportunity to dream as big as the endless skies around me. My path into professional cycling wasn’t traditional — I played NCAA tennis, earned a degree in biochemistry, and was on my way to a career in science before racing bikes took over my life. I was working in Chemistry Research and Drug Discovery, when my grandfather gave me a nudge to try cycling. It turned out cycling had always been in this cowgirl’s blood, and I soon was a member of the Team USA National Team and off to the races. I raced at the highest levels around the world for over a decade and cycling gave me a global platform as a 3x Gravel Worlds Champion, Unbound 200 winner, and Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame inductee, but more importantly, it gave me a voice and a mission.

Today, I channel that athlete experience into Saga Ventures, a marketing and brand activation consultancy I co-founded. Saga isn’t just about strategy — it’s about purpose. We design campaigns that tell authentic stories, elevate women’s sports, and show brands how investing in equity delivers real impact. We’ve led projects like #WATCHTHEFEMMES (bringing Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift coverage to millions) and #MoreWomenMoreMiles (inspiring women to ride together and events to give space for women), proving that storytelling can move markets and spark change.

I bring a rare mix: elite athlete + scientist + storyteller + consultant. I am a free-range entrepreneur. I understand performance from the inside, but I also know how to package it for brands, media, and fans. My cowgirl roots keep me grounded, my science background keeps me curious, and my marketing work keeps me focused on measurable impact.

I’m proud that I’ve used my platform to open doors for others — whether that’s lowering barriers for girls to not only enter sports but stay in sports, amplifying women’s races on global media, or helping brands align with purpose-driven storytelling. At the end of the day, my passion is about harnessing the power of sport, especially for women, and turning sport into a platform for equity, leadership, and community.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

One of the biggest tests of resilience in my life came when I suffered a traumatic brain injury racing. Overnight, everything I thought I knew about myself — as an athlete, as a competitor, a biochemist, as someone who was smart and thrived on pushing limits — was stripped away. The path back wasn’t quick or easy. It took patience, humility, and a willingness to reimagine success in smaller steps: just getting out of bed, just walking, just riding again.

That injury forced me to look at life differently. It reminded me that my worth wasn’t only tied to results on a bike. That’s part of why I chose to pursue graduate school in Clinical Psychology. I wanted to better understand the human mind, not just from the perspective of recovery, but also how performance, resilience, and mental health intersect. Earning my Master’s degree while rebuilding my athletic career was both a challenge and a gift — proof that setbacks can fuel new strengths, even if they aren’t the same as before.

Today, when I line up at a start line, or when I step on a stage to speak, I carry that experience with me. My TBI taught me that resilience isn’t about bouncing back to who you were before — it’s about transforming into someone stronger and wiser, yet, learning to adapt and give grace for the rollercoaster of life.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I didn’t set out to “build an audience” on social media — I set out to share stories. At first, it was just about giving friends and family a glimpse into the wild world of professional cycling as I was racing in Europe, but over time I realized that authenticity is what truly connects people. I wasn’t just posting finish-line photos; I was sharing the messy travel days, the dirty faces, the humor, the setbacks and tears of a loss, and the small victories that don’t always make headlines. That honesty resonated, and the audience grew into a community. It still suprises me that people care what I have to say, but here I am, just being me.

Advice? Start with your “why.” Don’t try to be perfect or copy what you think works for others. Share what feels true to you — whether it’s behind-the-scenes, lessons learned, or the things that light you up. Consistency matters, but so does community: engage back, listen, and create conversations instead of just broadcasting. And most importantly, don’t be afraid to be bold — your unique story is the one people want to hear.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.alisontetrick.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amtetrick/
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/AMTetrick
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amtetrick/
• Twitter: https://x.com/AMTetrick
• Other: My bandanas and t-shirts for Saga Ventures – please support to get more girls on bikes!

  https://saga-ventures.myshopify.com/