SCOTT Welcomes Alexis Skarda

SCOTT Sports is proud to announce the addition of Alexis Skarda to the SCOTT Gravel program for the 2026 and 2027 seasons.

Known for her strength and technical precision on the mountain bike, Alexis delivered a standout 2025 campaign. Her season was highlighted by an overall victory at the Swiss Epic, a second-place finish at Little Sugar, and a third-place result at Chequamegon. Those performances confirmed what many already knew. Alexis has the engine, skill, and race intelligence to compete with the very best.

Her mountain bike background translates seamlessly to the Life Time Grand Prix, where she continues to take on the world’s top endurance racers. Since the series began, Alexis has finished inside the overall top five every year. With that level of consistency, her focus is clear. She is racing for the top step.

Alexis joins an already stacked SCOTT Gravel roster alongside Hannah Otto, Brennan Wertz, Unbound champion Cam Jones, and newly signed Kiwi Matt Wilson. Whether lining up for the biggest gravel events aboard the Addict Gravel or returning to her roots on the Spark RC, Alexis brings depth, experience, and the ability to win on any terrain.

We sat down with Alexis to talk about joining SCOTT, early-season training, her 2026 goals, and how she balances life as a professional cyclist.

Q&A With Alexis Skarda

SCOTT: Welcome to SCOTT. We are incredibly excited to have you on the team for 2026. When you first started thinking about joining SCOTT, what were your initial impressions of the brand?

Alexis: One of the first high-end bikes I ever raced on as a pro was a SCOTT, so I have always been a fan. I already knew how good the bikes felt and how much I could trust them to be racing machines. So, when I started thinking about joining SCOTT, it honestly felt really exciting and kind of a full-circle, like getting to come back to a brand that helped shape me early in my career.

As winter training ramps up, Alexis has already logged serious miles on her new setup.

SCOTT: What bikes have you been riding most during early-season training, and what stands out about them?

Alexis: I’ve basically crammed an entire off season of miles into just three weeks on the Addict RC. I started off with a big push at the Bodega Run from San Francisco to L.A. and kept the momentum rolling into a training camp with Lauren De Crescenzo and Cecily Decker where we beat up on each other for 10 days. The bike just eats up the miles. it’s honestly hard to stay in zone 2 because the bike feels so snappy.

While she has been stacking road miles, her mountain bike roots remain strong.

SCOTT: Is there another SCOTT bike you are especially excited to spend time on this season?

Alexis: Mountain biking is still my first love, so I’m really stoked to spend more time on the Spark and get back out on the trails, but with most of my racing focused on gravel, I’m also super excited about the Addict Gravel. It just feels aggressive and fast in the best way. Like a bike that wants to race as hard as you do!

SCOTT: With so many training miles already logged, have you discovered any new favorite routes or destinations?

Alexis: The training camp with Cecily and Lauren in Malibu was a big standout for me. It was basically nonstop climbing, but in the best way. We rode different variations of the same climbs every day, and somehow I never got tired of them. We just did them faster each day. Being at sea level with those coastal views was such a nice change. The ocean and the hills kept me motivated. It’s easily one of my favorite winter training spots in California now.

Race season is quickly approaching.

SCOTT: What will be your first race on SCOTT this year?

Alexis: My first big race on SCOTT this year will be Sea Otter, it’s the opening round of the Life Time Grand Prix. A good way to kick things off.

SCOTT: Does Sea Otter hold any special meaning for you?

Alexis: I’ve been going to Sea Otter since the beginning of my pro career as an XC mountain bike racer. It’s fun to go back to a venue I’m familiar with, now for the gravel, but the hype at Sea Otter is the same.

Looking further ahead, her ambitions extend beyond the season opener.

SCOTT: Is there another race you are especially looking forward to this year?

Alexis: I have my sights set on The Traka in Girona this year, and I’m really excited about it. Something new and I love any opportunity to race internationally.

Training and racing demand focus and discipline, but balance remains essential.

SCOTT: With so much time dedicated to training, racing, and travel, how do you unwind off the bike?

Alexis: In my downtime, I like to produce EDM music to take my mind off cycling. Especially on lighter training days, it gives me a creative outlet that’s completely different from training.

SCOTT: Does creating music influence your training or racing mindset? How did you first get into it?

Alexis: Creating music helps me stay balanced and even motivates me on tough training days. I started out on piano and violin as a kid, but I found I liked creating better than playing instruments when I discovered MIDI through my dad’s recording setup. Over the years I’ve explored synths, cinematic sounds, and eventually EDM. I’m still figuring out a direction, but it’s been a ton of fun and a great creative outlet.

SCOTT: Will fans have the chance to see you perform live this year?

Alexis: Other than my annual Big Sugar set, I do small gigs here and there. Hit me up if you need a DJ ;)

There are parallels between racing and performing that go deeper than most expect.

SCOTT: Do you see similarities between lining up for a race and stepping onto a stage?

Alexis: Absolutely, there’s definitely a parallel. The nerves you feel right before a race or stepping on stage are pretty similar. That mix of excitement and anticipation, and once you get going. It’s all about focusing and enjoying the moment.

SCOTT: Are there any current or former SCOTT athletes you have especially looked up to?

Alexis: There are so many incredible athletes who’ve represented SCOTT over the years. Nino Schurter is the obvious one, but on a more personal level, when I was getting into XC mountain bike racing, I looked up to Erin Huck. She is a non-traditional athlete, balancing work, racing and dominating at the highest level. She proved that there are no excuses and no single path to success.