Sarah Orban is one of the top athletes in track cycling. She rode for Canada at the Olympics in Paris and has since turned her focus to Los Angeles in 2028.
Her legs are ridiculously strong.
Orban, 29, did not begin her cycling career until fairly recently. The Alberta-native tried a lot of different sports and activities as a child. She explored different styles of dance from age 3-9, did recreational gymnastics as a seven-year-old, and even tried skeleton and rugby. Soccer ultimately stuck.
Orban played soccer from ages five to 21, including a collegiate career at the University of Lethbridge. She also ran track during the offseason to stay in shape. It was not until her 21st birthday that the 5-foot-5 former midfielder first tried track cycling on a velodrome and not until 22 that she started training full-time!
Orban’s first official race was in 2018. She rode for Team Canada at the Olympics just six years later. Pretty impressive!
Track cycling, for those who don’t know, is very different from road cycling. Bikes are fixed-gear, which means they have only one gear and lack both freewheels and brakes.
Track cycling races require a lot more strategy than those on the road. Riders typically start with an extremely slow pace and could get up and go at any moment. You must be ready to respond!
That specific element of a race requires a lot of lower body strength to essentially go from zero to 100 in a matter of seconds. Orban’s legs are jacked. She is the first person to acknowledge the size of her quads, hammys and glutes.
Apparently, the size of her legs is something on which people often comment. They ask her what sport she plays. However, Sarah Orban wants to be very clear that she does not play!
Track cycling is a sport that does not get a lot of coverage, especially in the United States. That should not discredit the insane amount of strength it requires to compete! Sarah Orban is the perfect example.