Veronica Ewers didn’t start riding a bike seriously until a few years ago when she joined a local cycling club. In 2019, she participated in her first race, and just over two years later, she came in 3rd at Nationals while still technically a Cat 2. Veronica’s rapid rise through the ranks of professional cycling has led her to the very top: a contract with the WorldTour team EF and a top 10 finish at the inaugural Tour de France Femmes. Earlier this month, she renewed her contract through 2025.

Payson sits down with Veronica to talk about how her life has changed in such a short space of time. Not long ago, she was working 7-4 at Seattle Children’s Hospital fighting denied insurance claims. The work was mentally and emotionally draining, and her discovery of cycling and the cycling community gave her a necessary respite. She talks about her early athletic experience as a soccer player, runner, and weightlifter, how WorldTour cycling has actually made her more flexible than she used to be, and what it was like racing her idols at Road Nationals. 

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