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    November 13, 2024 3 min read

    Laurel Rathbun who is

    Who is Laurel Rathbun?

    Laurel Rathbun—28-year-old cyclist extraordinaire, raised in Colorado Springs and now calling San Diego home. Laurel’s journey on two wheels started young, and it’s been a wild ride ever since.

    The Beginnings of a Two-Wheel Journey

    Laurel's love for sports ignited early on. By seven, she was racing her first bike competitions and tackling triathlons. With an athletic family as her foundation, she grew up competing in everything from gymnastics and fencing to lacrosse and even volleyball. Yet, the bike was different. As she says, “What really drew me to cycling was that sense of adventure and freedom. You don’t really get that with any other sport.”

    From Fun to Professional Racing

    Cycling wasn’t just a hobby for Laurel—it became a lifestyle. Growing up in the perfect riding landscape of Colorado, with a cycling dad and a brother who raced, she had built-in training partners from day one. Laurel started with road races, mountain biking, track, and cyclocross. By the time she was 18, she landed her first professional contract with a cyclocross team, propelling her into the world of professional racing.
    She recalls, “I was lucky enough to have parents who supported me, taking me to all the races, all the junior nationals. And living in Colorado Springs, I got to train at the Olympic Training Center and even attended Marian University, where they had a velodrome right on campus.”

    The Ups and Downs of Racing: A Journey of Perseverance

    Laurel’s racing career saw some major highs—but also some significant lows. In 2016, while racing the Women's Tour of Britain, she suffered a crash into a guardrail, resulting in severe injuries and multiple surgeries. Although she returned to racing, she found herself going through the motions without the same passion. “There were more bad days than good days,” she says. Eventually, she chose to step back, retiring in 2019 to pursue a career in accounting and finance.
    But the call of the bike never left her. Living in San Diego, Laurel slowly found herself back on two wheels, enjoying the social aspect of coffee rides and local races. She reflects, “Sometimes you need to reassess. For me, taking five years off helped me come back in a better mental place.”

    Looking Forward: Dreams of 2028

    With a strong foundation now beneath her, Laurel has her eyes set on new goals, including a potential shot at the Olympics in LA in 2028. She’s vocal about the importance of declaring goals aloud, explaining that it creates accountability: “If you just think about your goals, they can remain just thoughts. But when you share them, people check in, ask how it’s going. That accountability makes a difference.”

    2025 and Beyond: What’s Next?

    This year, Laurel competed as a guest rider with the Legion team and, for 2025, she’s officially joining them full-time. The year ahead looks packed with the biggest criteriums across the U.S., as well as road and stage races. There’s even talk of heading back to Mexico early in the season for a race she describes as “awesome.”
    Laurel is diving into whatever the cycling world has in store. “2025 is going to be great. I’m just saying yes to every opportunity and having a good time,” she says with her signature enthusiasm.

    A Final Note

    As Laurel’s journey proves, the road is never straightforward. Whether on the bike or in life, it’s the courage to get back on after a fall, to reassess and set new goals, that truly defines success. We’re honored to have her story on our blog and can’t wait to see where her next adventure takes her. Cheers to riding through life and embracing the journey—wherever it leads.

    Laurel Rathbun cycling in encinitas california at sunset

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    Rob wessels
    Rob wessels


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