At 20 years old, Alejandro Che became the first varsity cyclist at Cal State Dominguez Hills.
Che has already raced across the United States and Europe, competed internationally, and built a name for himself in cycling. Now, the third-year kinesiology student is making history for CSUDH, but for the entire state of California.
CSUDH launched its varsity cycling program on Sept. 2 in partnership with Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) and USA Cycling, making Che the first rider to represent the university on a collegiate level.
Just 10 days after the program’s launch, Che traveled to Indianapolis for the 2026 USA Cycling Collegiate Track National Championships, where he won a bronze medal. The result gave the new program its first national podium and gave Che an early opportunity to show what CSUDH cycling could become.
As the program’s first cyclist, Che is in a position to help shape the culture for the cyclists who come after him.
“There’s nothing here yet,” Che said. “I’m excited to race for sure and try to bring some results to make the program look good and make it look attractive to people that are considering coming to Dominguez Hills.”
Long before he wore the CSUDH jersey, cycling had already surrounded Che his entire life.
His father, Paul Che, began racing bicycles at age eight in Peru. In 2010, the elder Che opened a bike shop in Torrance and retired from racing only a couple of years after Alejandro was born.
Che’s mother, Kristian Che, also rode. With both parents involved in the sport, getting their son on a bike came naturally.
“I think he rode a bike before he could walk,” Kristian Che said.
By the time he was nine, Che was already racing BMX.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Che began spending more time riding on the road and entering local races. At age 16, he joined the VeloSport Junior Cycling Team and began his first serious season of road racing.
As cycling became more serious, Che progressed from local races to national and international competitions. But when Che chose Dominguez Hills, a varsity cycling program wasn’t something he considered. He came to the university organically as a commuter to study kinesiology. The velodrome, the cycling arena located at the VELO Sports Center, gave him a convenient place to continue training.
Although Che had just started training at the velodrome, discussions about bringing cycling to the university had been taking place for years.
Travis Smith, manager of the VELO Sports Center and now the varsity cycling coach, said that he and Dignity Health Sports Park General Manager Adam Duvendeck had talked about establishing a collegiate cycling program for nearly 15 years.
It wasn’t until earlier this year that interim CSUDH President Mary Ann Villarreal began working with Duvendeck and others to bring that vision to life. As those conversations moved forward, they were faced with a big question: Who would ride for the new program? Their answer was already on campus.
The program came together quickly, with much of its long-term structure still in development.
Local cyclists interested in collegiate competition often looked outside the area because established programs existed elsewhere. Smith said some riders who already trained at the Velodrome left for other schools because they didn’t have a comparable collegiate option nearby. He believes access to the velodrome and riders like Che can give the new program something to build around.
“We have the best velodrome in the country right on campus,” Smith said. “No other school can match that right now.”
The coach also envisions two sides to the program. Smith states the varsity team would give high-level riders the chance to represent the university in national competitions, while a club team would allow students to learn, train, and become a part of a community on campus.
Smith hopes to grow the roster and create an environment where cyclists regularly train together and push one another. He also wants Che to take on a leadership role as the program grows, giving future cyclists someone who can lead by example and show what the program can accomplish.
“My goal would be to bring a national title to the school,” Smith said. “With Alejandro, that’s very possible.”
Che sees an opportunity to make CSUDH a destination for young cyclists who may find themselves in the same position he was in when choosing a college. The difference is that those riders would arrive knowing a team is already waiting for them.
While Che wants to help build that future, he also has his own career beyond CSUDH to consider.
“[I’m at] the age where people either kind of start focusing towards other life things or they kind of go full gas into cycling,” Che said.
For now, he wants to continue producing results in the United States while leaving open the possibility of returning to Europe, earning a professional contract, and seeing how far cycling can take him.
Che sees himself as the starting point. He wants CSUDH to become a place where cyclists can pursue an education without giving up the sport, and he hopes the program continues producing results long after he graduates.
“I just always loved racing my bike,” Che said. “If the school is giving me an opportunity to race my bike and [be] the seed that they’re planting for future riders, that’s absolutely something that I’m willing to do for them.”