“My time to retire is now” – Top US Cyclocross rider ends career due to lack of financial resources

Katie Clouse, one of the brightest American cyclocross riders of her generation, has announced her retirement at just 24 years old. Earlier this year, she produced one of her best-ever performances, finishing 13th at the cyclocross elite World Championships in Liévin. But despite proving herself capable of racing among the best in the world, Clouse was forced to step away from the sport due to a lack of financial support and sponsorship. Just months after racing at the highest level, she found herself working part-time jobs to make ends meet rather than preparing for another season.

In a recent interview with Cyclocross Social, Clouse admitted that the decision came with mixed emotions but also relief. “I’m glad my time to retire is now, and not three years ago. Racing World Tour for Human Powered Health (2022–2023) while being in college was a lot; mentally I was not in a good place.

“Then, I got the opportunity to return to cross with Steve Tilford Foundation. I am super grateful to Raylyn (Nuss) for giving me this opportunity, because I fell in love with the sport again. As they say, a happy rider performs well, and it’s true. My performances were on the up again, with the World Championships in Liévin being one of my career-best results.”

Even so, the breakthrough ride in France highlighted the very problem she faced. “After the World Championships, I reached out to a lot of sponsors for the next season. I love cyclocross, I love racing, and I never wanted it to be about money, but at some point in my life I do have other things I want to pursue. Finishing 13th at Worlds without a summer program or a nutritionist made me realize how much more potential I had, but to unlock that, I really needed a salary.”

Clouse credits the Steve Tilford Foundation with giving her the chance to continue racing at all, even if the financial support had its limits. “At Steve Tilford, we got all our travel compensated for, which I am incredibly thankful for. I think we were the only American team to receive such financial support.

“Cyclocross, for me, has never been about a lifestyle; it was my life and I wanted to perform as well as possible. I really tried hard with sponsors, but several months after Worlds it became clear to me that things weren’t working out. I concluded life was taking me in a different direction, so I decided to focus on academics. I am working full time, boosting my resume to start medical school or PA next year. With that degree, I hope to give back to the cyclocross community which has given me so much.”

Her pathway through the WorldTour exposed both opportunities and challenges. In 2022 she joined Human Powered Health, racing the Giro and Paris-Roubaix, but the jump came earlier than she was ready for. “I never say I wish I didn’t go to Human Powered Health, but it came too early in my career. Back then, there was no Junior Women’s scene in cross, and the road scene was far less developed as well.

“The only way up for us girls was to get on a WorldTour team as soon as possible. I got that opportunity to learn, but I also found out that racing at that high of a level while being in school wasn’t for me. The schedule took a heavy toll on me, and I felt burnt out by the end of my contract. It would have been nice to have the same opportunities the girls have now, but I still wouldn’t have done anything differently despite the ups and downs.”

Her final World Championships ride in Liévin earlier this year stands as a testament to her talent, achieved despite imperfect preparation. “My performance in Liévin came after just two months of being fully locked on cyclocross. I barely raced in the summer, because I was working to make an income. My start to the domestic season was therefore slow, and only once I came over to Europe after nationals did I feel like I was approaching my top form.

“You need to be fully focused on cross if you want to take on the Europeans: they live and breathe cross. They are so dialed, it requires my A-game to be competitive. Up against full-time riders, I fought with everything I had in Liévin. It was a little bittersweet to finish 20 seconds off the top 10, but still… Looking at the riders I beat with the preparation I had, I am super proud of my performance.”