Defending Cyclocross National Championship silver medalist Amanda Miller will not be racing professional cyclocross this season.
Last week, Miller used her social media pages to announce she will not be racing professionally this upcoming season. The news came as a surprise to the cyclocross world, as Miller is coming off her best season as a professional cyclocross racer. In addition to her second at U.S. Nationals, she finished fourth at CrossVegas, fifth at the Valkenburg World Cup and had a total of five World Cup top tens.
Amanda Miller descends Mt. Krumpit. 2016 Jingle Cross World Cup, Elite Women. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine
Miller said this in her post on Facebook:
“After racing professionally since 2009—on the road and more recently in ’cross—I am officially announcing I won’t be racing ’cross professionally this year. Am I officially ‘retiring?’ I don’t know yet—maybe. Maybe not. A lot of things are up in the air and I don’t have a concrete answer to that. But in truth, it just wasn’t in the cards for this year.”
The announcement was the second big piece of news out of the women’s cyclocross peloton last week. We also reported that after a long search for a team, French national champion Caroline Mani signed with the Van Dessel Factory team for the upcoming season.
Miller, a resident of Fort Collins, Colorado, has been racing for the Boulder Cycle Sport team since 2014, and the team helped her raise funds to race in Europe the last two seasons. Another change in BCS’s elite roster is Allen Krughoff’s recent announcement that he will continue to pursue his own program this season.
Amanda Miller was always easy to spot in the orange of the Boulder Cycle Sport team. Jingle Cross World Cup, Elite Women. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine
Cyclocross Magazine reached out to Miller to ask her about her decision. She said the decision not to race has been one she has been mulling for much of the offseason. “Maybe since January or February when I started talking with teams,” she said. “There weren’t a lot of options.”
Amanda Miller on her way to second. Elite Women, 2017 Cyclocross National Championships. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine
She also said that the change in sponsorship of her team also played a big role. “Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had the best support with Boulder Cycle Sport and our sponsors,” said Miller. “It’s a small program, and when sponsors start pulling out, it really changes things. I have been extremely fortunate to have the support of Boulder Cycle Sport. They were phenomenal and professional and that’s coming from someone who has seen the best of the best on the road side of things as well.”
Will we see Amanda Miller’s star power in cyclocross again? photo: Warming up after second. Elite Women, 2017 Cyclocross National Championships. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine
While she is not racing professionally, Miller is not completely stepping away from cyclocross this Fall. She is helping host several free clinics with Boulder Cycle Sport and would like to stay involved with the sport if possible. “Boulder Cycle Sport has done so much for me,” said Miller. “To do a clinic is just the beginning of giving back. I’d like to be involved with cyclocross. This year may be hit and miss, as it is going to be extremely tough. But I love the sport and I hope things turn around for it.”
In her announcement, she said the decision not to race this year is not an official retirement and she still has a desire to race. Said Miller, “Of course I will [miss racing], that’s why I never said I was ‘retiring.’ I’m sure I’ll dabble in a race here and there. Maybe I just need a season to reset things.”
And is she leaving the door open to racing cyclocross again? “Why not,” she said.
Although Amanda Miller is not racing this season, she said she is leaving the option of returning to the sport on the table. © Danny Zelck / Cyclocross Magazine
Stay tuned for more on Miller’s plans for her future and more coverage of the upcoming cyclocross season.
