Former US Road National Champion Coryn Labecki, a lover of one-day races and jaw-dropping rides, jumped at the chance to sign with the EF Education-Cannondale club for the 2024 season and get back on the bike and where she he started his career.
Her credits include stage wins at the Giro d’Italia Donne, Lotto Belgium Tour and Women’s Tour, as well as one-day wins at the Tour of Flanders, RideLondon Classique and Trofeo Alfredo Binda. She has also won team time trials at the world championships, La Vuelta Femenina and the Ladies Tour of Norway.
When she was a teenager, Labecki’s first road bike was a Cannondale. “I think it’s really special to be riding the bike that first got me into cycling. I still have it and now it’s my city bike,” said Labecki.
Growing up in California, Labecki began racing when she was 11 years old and has taken up cyclocross, mountain biking, track cycling and road racing. In these disciplines, in the last 20 years she has accumulated more than 70 national titles, from junior to elite. Her 2018 US national road race title remains one of the most special results for her. This year, she won the American Criterion National Championship.
For the general manager of the EF Education-Cannondale team, Esra Tromp, signing Labecki was a priority. The two have worked together in the past, and Tromp has seen Labecki’s talents and strengths firsthand.
“Coryn is a cyclist I’ve known for a few years. She is a very important leader in the team, especially leading the group towards a goal. She is a natural leader who can support female riders very well and push her teammates to a higher level.”
Being a reliable teammate is something Labecki values.
“I would do anything for my teammates. I’ve been racing for a long time so I love sharing what I know and teaching my teammates. The other thing is that I’m always looking for the best way for my teammates to win. That’s always on my mind when it comes to racing.”
Labecki is a runner, through and through.
“It doesn’t matter what the course is,” she says. “As long as there is a finish line, my goal is to get there first or for my team to get there first. I love the tactic. I love strategy, how to be prepared, everything related to racing. That’s what drives me every day. I’ve been called a sprinter in the past, but I like to call myself a bike racer.”
Winner of the 2017 Tour of Flanders, Labecki is happiest in the spring classics and one-day races.
“I love that all or nothing mentality of one day racing. I like really punchy rides, something really dynamic that goes up and down all day, especially if there’s a slightly uphill finish that’s not too long. Races like that usually suit me very well.”
With so many years of racing in the peloton, Tromp sees that Labecki has developed a keen sense of tactics.
“Coryn is super smart when it comes to analyzing races, seeing what happened and what happened with other teams and understanding her tactics. She’s also the winner of some really big races, so she knows how to deal with the pressure. That kind of experience will help with some of her less experienced teammates. Coryn truly believes in finding balance in approach and enjoying time on the road.”
For 2024, Labecki’s goals are clear.
“I would love to get some wins,” says Labecki. “Getting a win next year would be beautiful and it’s an Olympic year as well, which is another big goal of mine. Mainly, I just want to do everything I can to help get some wins on the board. I love running and it looks like this team is going to be a really good group to enjoy racing.”
Source: https://efprocycling.com