Christine D'Ercole

D’Ercole grew up wanting to be a ballerina but was told that her thighs were too big.[1] As a young adult, she wanted to work as a Broadway performer, choosing to attend a performing arts high school, followed by studying theater at Carnegie Mellon University.[1][2] She used to ride her bike to classes.[3]

After graduating from college, D’Ercole started auditioning for theater roles in New York City while working as a bartender and bike messenger to pay the bills.[1] She became a part of the bike messenger community, who encouraged her to pursue track cycling and racing full-time.[1][3]

While pursuing cycling, D’Ercole has also worked as a model and a fitness instructor.[1] After teaching at SoulCycle and Equinox, she began working as a Peloton instructor in 2014.[1] Her trademark mantra is, “I am, I can, I will, I do.”[1] 

D’Ercole has won the Masters World Championship in cycling and is a five-time National Champion.[4][5] In 2021, she won 5 gold medals at the Masters Track National Championships, in the Points Race, Scratch Race, 2K Time Trial, Team Pursuit, and Team Sprint events.[5] She is the only Peloton instructor who has won a world or national track cycling championship.[1]

At the age of 27, D’Ercole became pregnant with her daughter, Victoria.[6]

In 2019, D’Ercole was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma after noticing a spot on her nose.[7][8] The surgery to remove the cancer was a success.[7]

D’Ercole lives and works in Manhattan. She recently also purchased a Dutch Colonial home in Allentown, PA where she spends much of her time training, racing, and spending time with her family.[9]

D’Ercole dated women for many years and identified as gay.[10][11] She surprised herself when she fell in love with a man, Brian Hicks, through her virtual Peloton class. Their friendship began when she called out his username during her class and he responded with a Facebook message.[10][11] She and Hicks got engaged on her 50th birthday, in 2021.[6]