Name: Marion Cholieu

Location: Tempe, AZ

Instagram: @world_rideuz

Born and raised in the south of France, my passion for mountain biking was ignited at 12, thanks to a local cycling club and a sturdy steel bike from my parents. Local races and events like the Roc D’Azur became a regular part of my calendar, with a penchant for technical terrains, always plotting that perfect line, uphill or downhill.

Off the trail, my life is a blend of diverse interests. The outdoors beckon me often, whether it's hiking, paddleboarding, or strumming the guitar and singing a tune. A proud endeavor of mine is the non-profit I run with my wife, Clean Up Papago, where we focus on trail work and organizing cleanups to maintain the beauty of Papago Park in Tempe. Venturing into gravel riding has been a recent thrill, with my dog Kujo, sporting his favorite backpack, often accompanying me.

What's your day job? 
Senior Product Manager. As a Senior Product Manager for Gen, I guide a dedicated team of engineers to optimize our checkout system.

Favorite type of cycling:
MTB and gravel, but I don’t discriminate!

Current number of bicycles owned:
5: 2 gravel (one is my daily commute), 1 MTB, 1 road, 1 triathlon bike. 

Primary bike build:
Specialized Crux and Orbea Oiz

Favorite memory on a bike:
Riding down the Cotopaxi volcano in Ecuador

Weirdest riding experience:
Competing in the Iceman Triathlon and realizing that the MTB section was a fire road and that I should have grabbed my gravel instead!

Dream riding destination:
I want to go on a bikepacking trip from the South of Chile to Colombia.

What’s your favorite thing to carry in your Route Werks bag?
Some gels and electrolyte tabs in case I need an extra push or get lost!

Favorite cycling snack:
I love my Honey Stinger black cherry chews.

One random fact about you:
I clinched the title of CAT1 AZ state champion for XC in 2021

Socks under or over leg warmers?:
Under!