BMX Racer, Coach and Bicycle Mechanic: Silvi Vargas in Conversation this International Women’s Day
This International Women’s Day we are shining a light on Silvi Vargas.
Silvi Vargas is a London-based BMX racer, coach and bicycle mechanic whose work is opening up BMX to more women and girls.
Originally from Colombia, she discovered the sport after watching Colombian rider Mariana Pajón win Olympic gold at the London 2012 Games, an experience that sparked her own journey into racing and coaching.
Today Silvi is a familiar presence in London’s BMX community, coaching at Merton Saints BMX Club and creating spaces where women and girls can build skills, confidence and a sense of belonging in a sport that has traditionally been male dominated.
Alongside competing, she works as a mechanic and mentor, sharing the practical knowledge and encouragement that allows new riders to step into the sport and stay.
Through her racing, coaching and community work, Silvi represents a new generation of leaders in cycling who are reshaping who the sport is for and who feels welcome on the track.
Read on to hear from Silvi herself…
– What do you feel you give to the cycling community through your work?
The biggest thing I give is representation. I love that there’s no week when I don’t get asked where the ‘mechanic man’ is, and then the surprise to see me, a woman, working as a mechanic. I coach and teach a lot of different types of sessions, classes and cycling disciplines, but my focus has always been to get more women, girls and non-binary people involved in cycling (especially BMX and MTB) in what is otherwise a male-dominated space. I am also very passionate about making cycling accessible and inclusive to marginalised communities that experience financial barriers.
– What has cycling given back to you?
I am so grateful that everything I do is cycling-related! My job, my sport and my tool for good mental health. I couldn’t see myself doing anything else. I love interacting with other people and being a ‘bridge’ in their journey as they find their own relationship with cycling and themselves. It is a beautiful thing.
– Who supported or inspired you along the way?
Shoutout to my once mentors and now close friends Farran Afflick and Sarah Toone, they taught me everything I know about coaching bmx and cycling. Joslyn Thompson for being an inspiration to all women and girls in the fitness industry, I am forever grateful for the support she offered me and all the knowledge I gained from one of the best trainers out there. And last, but not least, my former colleague and now close friend Jenni Gwaizdowski, she’s honestly a force in the cycling industry, I have had admired her for so long for all the work she did at LBK [London Bike Kitchen] and I am so grateful for how open and kind she has always been when sharing information with me and others.
– Has there been a moment where you realised your presence made a difference?
Yes! Every time I see a little girl or woman trying bmx for the first time because she saw me at the track either coaching or riding and made it seem like something they could also do and be welcomed at!!!
– What keeps you motivated?
The fact that I’m doing what I love. There’s never a dull moment for me when I’m coaching or teaching. The best part of what I do is always the joy we share as a community when we achieve or learn something new that previously may have been perceived as impossible. Sport is such a power tool for wellness, empowerment and sustainability.
Thanks so much, Silvi, for sharing this with us, and for all the work you do across Dr Bike, as a Mechanics & Maintenance Course tutor and as a BMX coach.
You bring skill, consistency and visible leadership into areas of cycling where women are still underrepresented and we’re so glad we could shine a light on that for International Women’s Day 2026.
