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Lauren Stephens has a new team for 2024.
Stephens and U23 national criterium champion Chloe Patrick have signed to join the Cynisca Cycling’s 2024 roster.
Stephens, the current US gravel national champion and former US national road champion, brings over a decade of experience racing at the continental and WorldTour level to the new US-based, UCI pro Continental team. Patrick adds young talent and promise to a team dedicated to giving more women the opportunity to compete against the best in the world.
Read also: Introducing Cynisca Cycling
Cynisca Cycling
“Both riders are top performers who bring unique skills to Cynisca,” said team general manager Chris Gutowsky.“Lauren is a proven leader who can help her teammates grow as she continues her stellar career in cycling. Chloe has the potential to develop into an elite international force on the road, as well as on the track. She is the type of developmental rider our team strives to advance through fair financial support, teamwork, coaching and opportunities to race internationally.”
Lauren Stephens
Stephens began racing in 2009 while attending the University of North Texas. After graduating in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, she started teaching high school math and juggled training and racing on the side. In 2013, she and her husband Mat made a life-changing decision for her to leave teaching and pursue a career as a professional cyclist.
For the majority of her career, Stephens raced for TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank, later EF Education TIBCO-SVB. She has represented the US at many road world championships and this weekend will race for the second time at the UCI Gravel World Championships in Veneto, Italy.
In addition to a highlight-filled career, Stephens also hopes to share her experience with younger racers.
“My biggest achievement has been turning my passion into a career and having the opportunity to share my experience with others,” she said.
Chloe Patrick
Patrick, from Carson, California, is one such rider. The 19-year-old has earned 16 US national cycling titles as a junior and U23, mostly on the track but more recently on the road. She began her cycling career on the track at age 11, racing with a local-based youth team. She initially took to the road as a tool to improve her fitness on the track, but in 2020, she began devoting more time to road racing.
“Riding with my teammates in our local mountains built my road fitness and gave me confidence in my abilities off the track,” Patrick said. “This newfound strength and passion for the road began to show when racing returned. I had the opportunity to compete at the most challenging domestic races, resulting in my selection to the 2021 Junior Road World Championships team as a first-year U19 rider.”
Cynisca Cycling launched in 2022 in partnership with USA Cycling and began racing in 2023 in Europe and the US with an international roster including USA junior national and world champions plus French riders with World Tour Team experience. Cynisca is committed to fair pay for female athletes and staff development.