Catching Up With LDC after SBT

While many have tried, few have been able to catch Lauren De Crescenzo on the dirt, which is why we consider it such an honor to be able to sit down with her after a wildly successful and busy year of gravel racing.  We had a rare opportunity to catch up with her and discuss her 2022 season and what’s next for her in 2023 and beyond.

SBT GRVL: Thanks so much for taking the time to speak with us, Lauren. You’re always so busy in the days leading up to SBT GRVL but have always managed to find time to join the group rides and participate in our panels and chat with us at the finish chute. We love that as a top pro you’re so accessible during the weekend and we think that’s one of the reasons that helps make our event so unique. 

We’d love to hear what you’re up to in the off-season. Do you even have an offseason? 

LDC: I took a total of 4 days off the bike and didn’t know what to do with myself! I don’t like taking extended periods completely off the bike. This off-season will include a few more adventure rides than usual, and in terms of training, we’ve adjusted my workouts to less long threshold intervals to more explosive ones. But more than anything I am framing this off-season as a distraction-free time to work on my weaknesses. I am focused on increasing my confidence in my bike handling skills so I am doing cyclocross and a lot of training on the mountain bike. I did my first local cyclocross race last weekend and it was super fun and completely outside my comfort zone!

SBT GRVL: Wow, an hour of max power is definitely different from six or twelve hours of sustained effort. We can only imagine how that will help you drop the hammer in 2023. Speaking of 2023, what are you looking forward to most in terms of personal goals or events next year?

LDC: My goals for 2023 include further developing as a more dynamic rider by improving my single-track skills, downhill skills, and race tactics. If all goes according to plan, I’m looking to:

⁃ Take my Unbound title back

- Go for the trifecta at SBT! 

⁃ Win stars and stripes on the road (and gravel if there is one!) 

⁃ Podium at the UCI World Gravel Championships 

SBT GRVL: That’s such an impressive list across several cycling disciplines, but we have total confidence that it’s possible for you. In retrospect, what was the highlight of your 2022 season?

LDC: Defending at SBT GRVL in front of my family and hometown crowds. I grew up in Colorado and I’ve done every version of SBT GRVL, from the, “let’s see if this is a good idea,” version in 2018, to the SBT VRTL version in 2020, all the way to now. It’s been inspiring to see my friend Amy [Charity] transition from a great racer to now the head honcho at one of the most sought-after events. Every year the event gets better and better and I am grateful to be a part of it. 

Winning the Tour of the Gila in May was another special moment for me, it's a race I never ever thought I had a shot at winning.  It’s an iconic race in American Road Cycling that I did for the first time in my early 20’s. I didn’t have a great experience and I attributed it to being too big to be a “real climber.” My Cinch training program helped me become a great climber from power and technique alone rather than tons of weight loss and 6-hour rides.

It’s also a race that didn't go perfectly for me this year. There were many times throughout it looked like my race was over due to horrible mechanicals at the most inconvenient times. I am proud of myself for not giving up and pushing through; a skill I’ve really developed in these long gravel races! Being able to show up after years of putting in the work and taking the overall win at the Tour of the Gila was more of a full-circle moment for me. 

SBT GRVL: It has been amazing to see SBT GRVL grow over the years and like your season, it’s been important from an event side to see what goes well and what we can do to make the next year even better. If you could improve upon one thing next season what would that be?

LDC: Every year I learn so much about myself and about our ever-evolving sport. Something I like to say is that; “results guide, they don’t define.” Meaning that the way you view yourself shouldn’t be dependent on a race result. 

My performances this year have helped me clearly see my strengths and what I can work on. It’ll be a mixture of getting more comfortable in the peloton and gaining more confidence in fast corners and technical downhills. I do have some mental blocks from my traumatic brain injury (TBI) that I'm working to overcome. So I am excited to see how the work I’m putting in now translates into more confidence next season.

SBT GRVL: You’ve had an amazing comeback story, and for anyone who isn’t familiar with your horrific crash at the San Dimas Stage Race in 2016 and subsequent recovery they can read the full story here.  It’s been amazing to see you come back even stronger. Do you have any new or exciting adventures planned in the near future?

LDC: It sounds cheesy but every day is an adventure for me! I take a lot of enjoyment in my planning and executing my training rides. We have a team camp planned in Tucson in February so I am looking forward to riding up Mt. Lemmon one million times. But, mostly I am just looking forward to continuing what I am already doing. I love to ride my bike and I love to try and try and get .01% each day and for me, that's the biggest adventure.

Thanks Lauren! We’re so excited to hear that you’ll be back defending that top step in 2023 and looking to take the SBT GRVL trifecta. We look forward to following along with your season and adventures and hope they take you to Finland in June to race with us at FNLD GRVL. For anyone who wants to follow along with Lauren you can do so right here on Instagram and stay tuned for more interviews with top gravel pros and riders as we begin to count down the days until August 20th 2023.