To say Lauren Stevens is an all-rounder isn't enough to capture the true versatility she shows on the bike. Because she is an off-road rider on her home road, time trial, gravel, or mountain bike. After her 11 seasons as a professional cyclist, she won the U.S. Championship (road and gravel), the Continental Road Championship, and even individual road stage and multi-day GC titles.
Stevens has competed in world championships in three disciplines: road, gravel and marathon mountain biking. She will make her invitational debut in the Lifetime Grand Prix Off-Road Series in the United States and begin the early season on the road in Europe. Paving is the priority this season, at least until unbound gravel in early June.
“My main focus this year is to get on the Olympic team through time trials. There are two spots for America, so that's my main focus. So until nationals I'll just focus on time trials and road. '' Stevens said. cycling news.
“Coming into this year, I didn't know exactly what I wanted. I didn't know if I wanted to continue on this journey. So I wanted to keep my options open and… was the reason I applied for the Lifetime Grand Prix, but for now it will be the fun side of cycling.”
Stevens will be part of the Siniska Cycling Team competing in the Tour de Normandie Féminine this week, March 14-17. This is important, especially since the U.S. Pro Road National Championship was moved from June to May this year, as the opening stage will include a hilly 10km time trial that the Texans hope will happen.
“Moving up the Nationals to May definitely gives us more clarity and will allow us to make decisions sooner. I think the timing was really good. After Normandy, we're going back to America and we're looking forward to the next road trip. The lace is [Tour of the] Hila,” she said. cycling news.
“I'm going to the high altitude to prepare for Gila and then I'm going to stay at the high altitude for three weeks to get a good preparation for the nationals. I feel like I'm responding very well to training at high altitude. Masu.”
Stevens hasn't competed in the Tour of the Gila in seven years, last finishing second overall in 2017. This is the perfect course for her because she has a time trial. She is a two-time GC winner of the Joe Martin Stage Race, and along with Gila there are only two UCI stage races held in the United States this season, but the Arkansas stage race is one week after Nationals. It hadn't gotten any attention yet.
After two seasons at the World Tour level with EF Education-Tibco-SVB, Stevens returned to Cynisca Cycling, a U.S.-based continental team, in 2024. She called the move just an adjustment to “not having a guaranteed schedule.”
There was also an unexpected schedule change that put the team back in the spotlight a few days after their victory in the Clasica de Almeria, but for the wrong reasons, resulting in Stevens being deprived of his accomplishments on the 19km ITT. Ta.
Cynisca Cycling recently accepted a one-race suspension for violating UCI regulations in 2023. Stevens was not a member of the team at this time, but the incident occurred after the contracted sporting director, who no longer worked with the team, posed as a rider and not as a mechanic to give the start sign. Seat for racing. The Vuelta Extremadura Feminas was a race removed from the team's calendar as a disciplinary measure, with no stage races or ITTs taking place.
With only two race starts this season, Stevens has already picked up a win. The Texan stands out for his ability to read the race and adapt to changing conditions, often taking advantage of climbs and splits in the field. You rarely see Stevens sprint, but that's what she did in her first win of the season.
“This is the first victory that I can remember for a long time that was not a solo victory,” she said of her two-way win against Yulia Biriukova (Human Powered Health) at the Clasica de Almería in February. . .
“So what I enjoy the most is just kind of analyzing the course and tactically figuring out what's best for the team. It’s about thinking about the factors. It’s not just one moment that determines victory, there are many factors.”
That strategic thinking led her to another decision: What if she stopped worrying about numbers? She is the only rider in her 30s on her Cynisca team, which she welcomes as she has taken on the role of leader and mentor.
“I came to this team to play a leadership role. I have an ambition to become a DS. [directeur sportif or sports director]” Stevens said. “I took the DS course two years ago and had intended to do it much sooner than I did now. I see this as an opportunity to still be able to race my own bike, but then I'll be more interested in the coaching aspect. You can also support the team.'' Girls from inside the peloton. ”
