Miguel Méndez: From a 2am TTT to a Global Community 🇪🇸
When people talk about SISU Racing, they often talk about growth, depth, and culture. To understand why SISU feels the way it does, you don’t need to look far - just look back to the beginning, and to one of its four founding members: Miguel Méndez.
Originally from Spain and now based in the Midlands of Ireland, Miguel has been part of SISU from the very first pedal strokes. Not just as a rider, but as a builder of culture, of connection, and of the idea that cycling is better when it’s shared.
Built on Rhythm, Not Obsession
Miguel’s approach to cycling is quietly refreshing. He knows his physiology, knows what he enjoys, and rides accordingly. Time trials and climbing stages suit him best, but results are never an obsession. What matters more is the effort - giving everything he has on the day and enjoying the process along the way.
That mindset shows up everywhere, including his pain cave. Set up in his garage, it’s a thoughtful and purposeful space: a Ridley Kanzo on an Elite Justo trainer, paired with an Elite Rizer to bring climbs to life. Zwift runs on a mini PC feeding a 32-inch TV, while an Apple HomePod handles the soundtrack - dance throwbacks from the ’90s and 2000s when racing, cinematic film scores when free riding.
Coffee? That chapter closed years ago. These days it’s a cup of milk with Cola Cao - a small but very Miguel detail.
A Long Relationship with the Bike
Miguel’s cycling story starts early. A bike at age six in Madrid, the Vuelta playing on TV, and a quiet fascination with the sport. Life moved on, cycling paused until 2013, when a move north of Dublin made commuting by bike the most practical choice.
That practical decision lit the fuse. A folding bike led to a road bike, then to cyclocross. In 2018, a crash and fractured wrist forced time off the road but opened the door to Zwift. What started as rehab quickly turned into enjoyment.
Then came 2020. Like many, Miguel found himself riding Zwift more and more. 66,000 kilometres later, he still enjoys it as much as day one. And somewhere in that window, alongside three other riders, SISU Racing was born.
That first WTRL Team Time Trial? Chaotic. WhatsApp messages mid-race. No idea how rotations should work. Plenty of laughter. And a spark that would turn into something much bigger than any of them imagined.
Why Teams Matter
Miguel has raced plenty of Zwift series - ZRL TTT, Chasing Racing, and countless SISU hosted events - but the common thread is always the same: people.
Riding with a group, suffering together, learning together, and sharing the effort is what keeps him coming back. It’s easier to push beyond perceived limits when you’re doing it with friends. That shared challenge is the heartbeat of SISU.
Compassion, Consistency, and Coming Back
One of the biggest shifts Miguel has made over the years is learning compassion for himself. Not every day comes with good legs. Not every season is smooth.
Last year, work stress pulled him off the bike for nearly two months. Mentally and physically, things weren’t great. Instead of forcing it, he started again - easy Zone 2 rides, no pressure. Progress followed. Before long, he was racing again, hitting new power milestones, and completing demanding stage races like Chasing Pink.
His advice for anyone facing a setback - mental or physical - is simple and grounded:
Take it one day at a time
Lean on your support network
Be patient
And ask for help when you need it
Hard Rides, Lasting Lessons
Some moments stand out. Finishing the Wicklow 200 taught Miguel hard lessons in pacing and nutrition. On Zwift, completing the 2025 Chasing Red with its brutal 90km queen stage and hours of climbing remains a proud achievement.
But perhaps the biggest lesson cycling has taught him carries far beyond the bike: meaningful results take time. In a world chasing instant gratification, cycling rewards sustained effort. And that makes the outcome far more satisfying.
SISU Then and Now
Ask Miguel about that very first SISU TTT back in August 2021 and he’ll laugh. Turns taken by typing messages mid-effort. No race radio. No systems. Just four riders trying to function as one.
Fast forward to today and the growth is, in his words, “mind blowing.”
Along the way, there have been milestones - like being crowned Men’s C Grade Champion in the 2025 SISU Tour, a title he’s keen to defend. And yes, he’ll be racing the SISU Club Championships in March, with time trials and climbing firmly marked as favourites.
Looking Ahead
In 2026, Miguel wants to return to weekly TTTs and tick off series he’s missed, like Chasing Suisse. Outside, he has a deeply personal goal: climbing Jaizkibel, a defining ascent of the San Sebastián Classic and a climb rooted in the region where he was born.
Very SISU Moments
Some stories just are SISU. Like agreeing to race the first TTT - then realising later it started at 2am local time and doing it anyway. Or missing a flight to Madrid because he forgot he’d booked it on the same morning as a Chasing Red ITT. He finished third that day, with great legs, and accepted that it was simply an expensive time trial.
Worth it? Absolutely.
What SISU Means
Miguel sums it up perfectly:
“An incredibly welcoming community where you can share your passion for cycling and make friends to go along on your fitness journey - from social group rides to full on racing.”
From chaotic beginnings to a global team, Miguel Méndez hasn’t just been part of SISU Racing’s journey—he’s helped define it.