An interview with Zwift Team Wahoo le Col’s elite esport racer, IRONMAN champ, and mother of two, the USA’s Elyse Gallegos.
Hey there! Thanks for the chance to get to know you a bit better. Let's kick things off with a little intro. Can you share a bit about your background—where you're from, what you do, and what lights your fire outside of cycling?
Hey! I was born and raised in Texas, USA, but now reside in Alabama. I was a former Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Nurse, but once I had my first child, I elected to stay at home since hours are quite crazy and kids now through toddler years always seem to get sick. Outside of biking, I’m all in with the kids. Neyland is five, and my youngest, Griffin, is 2.5 years old, so yeah, we’re really quite busy and on the go with any and all activities outside, haha.
That's awesome! Now, let's dive into your cycling journey. When did you first hop on a bike competitively, and what's been your proudest moment on the road?
I actually didn’t start biking into college or Uni, as most of you guys call it. That’s when I first began Triathlons, and it has just escalated from that point on. My proudest moment so far would probably be winning IRONMAN Florida. I had literally just competed in the IRONMAN World Championships 2 weeks before the race and went in with zero expectations. I also told no one, haha. So yeah, it was quite challenging but also so much fun.
Fascinating! Switching gears a bit—tell us about your transition into the world of virtual cycling esports. What got you hooked, and what's the crowning achievement of your indoor career?
As with most, COVID hit, and I started Zwifting some. What really escalated the process was after having my first child. I realized I was not invincible and needed to be there for him at any given moment, so it became a safety thing and more time-efficient for me.
I started competing, and one of the guys from LEVEL Esports, Richy Howell, recruited me over to Si Bradley’s team. I fell in love with the team and the sport from there.
I wouldn’t say I have any crowning achievements yet, haha, but definitely being recruited to race for Wahoo Le Col for the Zwift Grand Prix is the most significant achievement so far for me 🙂
Sounds like a wild ride! Speaking of rides, you're part of a Zwift Grand Prix esports team, right? How has being on a team shaped you, and is there something unique about your team that's led to its success?
Yes! I am racing for Wahoo Le Col. The team is an absolute dream. Everyone is not only a beastly athlete but also genuinely amazing people outside of the esports world. As I’m learning, the unique thing about us is that our crazy DS, Adam Thorpe, always comes up with bizarre plans and race tactics. I love it. It makes the races fun to watch, but it also pushes us to new extremes and has made me a better athlete.
Great insights! For context, could you share some of your physical stats, like your indoor personal bests for various power intervals?
15 sec: 773w @ 11.72wkg
1min: 504w @ 7.59wkg
5min: 366w @ 5.53wkg
20min: 305w @ 4.58wkg
Impressive numbers! Looking ahead, what are your esports goals, both short-term and long-term? Is becoming the UCI Cycling Esports World Champion on your radar, and what does it mean to you?
All of the above! Haha. I would say short-term goals are competing in the Echelon Racing Series that is currently going on now and then Elite Women’s Nationals, which takes place on the 7th of January. Then we have the Zwift Games, which I believe will be exciting and great for our sport.
I also want to continue to make a statement in the Zwift Grand Prix, especially these final two races, one of which is the PRL Half Course! Then, in the long term, it would be an absolute DREAM and honor to compete in the UCI Cycling Esports World Championship! These girls are the best, and I believe and want to compete amongst them 🙂
That's ambitious! How do you feel about the current multi-platform landscape of esports championships, both nationally and internationally?
I absolutely love it. The more people we can get involved in our sport, the better, and of course, what better way to do so than through competition and these races?
Interesting perspective. There are skeptics who question the legitimacy of esports. What's your take on the challenges esports faces in gaining recognition and trust?
Gaining trust and legitimacy is tough. At the elite level, such as the Zwift Grand Prix, we weigh in/ grab height videos/ dual record/ some even choose to video themselves, which all adds to the legitimacy of our sport. For the other categories, it is all about trust and playing by the rules. I think this is why it’s also so important to have an in-person championship, as it’s the final step for verification and neutralization across the board for all athletes racing.
Well said! With multiple platforms available for esports, where do you see yourself fitting in? Do you race on more than one platform? Are there features on one platform that you prefer over others?
I am an avid Zwift user. I recently started the MyWhoosh process and got to know their platform and did the Passport Verification Test the other day. I’m hoping to compete and meet other individuals through the different races as that is what I love most. As I mentioned earlier, I’m still relatively new to MyWhoosh, and I feel like Zwift has many more things ironed out and may be a few steps ahead of the others. Still, you can tell MyWhoosh is genuinely interested in the athletes and providing top-level races, which I love.
Good to know! What do you think could make virtual cycling more engaging for spectators?
I think Zwift Community Live is already doing a fantastic job bringing more live streams to youtube and making side-by-side comparisons of the athletes during the races, displaying the wkg they are pushing, the wkg they are capable of pushing, say, following sprint, as well. I would also like to hear more voiceovers from the DS, as I always find that interesting and bring everything to real life for the viewers.
That's a thought-provoker! Looking into the crystal ball, where do you see esports in five years or even further down the line?
Oh, man! There will likely be more technology shifts in five years, so environmental factors like wind direction will get involved, which could be really fun from a tactical side of things. One of my friends, Mark Furler, mentioned how cool it would be to have live camera feed plus sensors to create a virtual CdA value rather than the current static CdA attributed to our avatars. I loved that idea since I’m 188cm tall myself, haha.
Intriguing! Now, for a fun twist—give us an exclusive. What's something about you that even your mates don't know?
This one has me laughing- I would probably say (besides me being a big-time Bourbon Collector) that I ran Half Marathons the day before delivering both of my kids 🙂 1hr 45min (8:00min/mi pace), haha.
Wow, that's a juicy tidbit! Before we wrap up, is there anything else you'd like to share with us?
Just wanted to say thank you so much for having me, and I hope to see everyone out there racing soon!
Fantastic! Thanks for this enlightening conversation. Wishing you all the best this Zwift Grand Prix!
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Semi-retired after more than 20 years as the owner and director of a private Orthopedic Physical Therapy practice, Chris now enjoys the freedom to dedicate himself to his passions—virtual cycling and writing.
Driven to give back to the sport that has enriched his life with countless experiences and relationships, he founded a non-profit organization, TheDIRTDadFund. In the summer of 2022, he rode 3,900 miles from San Francisco to his “Gain Cave” on Long Island, New York, raising support for his charity.
His passion for cycling shines through in his writing, which has been featured in prominent publications like Cycling Weekly, Cycling News, road.cc, Zwift Insider, Endurance.biz, and Bicycling. In 2024, he was on-site in Abu Dhabi, covering the first live, in-person UCI Cycling Esports World Championship.
His contributions to cycling esports have not gone unnoticed, with his work cited in multiple research papers exploring this evolving discipline. He sits alongside esteemed esports scientists as a member of the Virtual Sports Research Network and contributes to groundbreaking research exploring the new frontier of virtual physical sport. Chris co-hosts The Virtual Velo Podcast, too.
