Interview: Meredith Miller, Team USA Coach, 2019 Bogense Worlds

Interview: Meredith Miller Takes on Role of Coach for Team USA at 2019 Bogense Worlds

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Meredith Miller retired from cyclocross in 2016, but she has still stayed busy in the sport after hanging up her toe spikes.

We heard her helping with the announcing at the 2018 Reno and 2018 Louisville Cyclocross Nationals and 2018 World Cup Waterloo, and she has also taken the time to jump in a cyclocross race from time to time.

Miller’s continued relationship with USA Cycling led her to the 2019 Bogense World Championships as a coach with the Team USA contingent.

One thing that was special about Miller’s presence in Bogense is she was one of—if not the—first female national team coaches at Worlds. At Friday’s course inspection, we saw Sven Vanthourenhout, Sven Nys and former professional men help riders dial in lines and talk strategy, which is the norm in a sport that has been decidedly male-centric.

One of Miller’s main tasks was helping the U23 Women in the U.S. contingent. On Friday she pre-rode the couurse with the group of U23 Women riders—Clara Honsinger, Katie Clouse, Emma Swartz and Madigan Munro.

“I hope it gives them the confidence to know they have somebody to look up to,” Miller said about her work with the team. “That women can go out there and crush it too. That it doesn’t have to just be a guy showing them around. There are other females who can show them the lines and the technical aspects of it.”

Meredith Miller is working with USA Cycling to help the younger rides at Worlds, including pre-riding the course with them. 2019 Bogense World Championships Course Inspection, Friday Afternoon. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine

When not on the course, Miller spent time with the young women riders, and she also brought in Katie Compton and Kaitie Keough to help teach them the hard-earned secrets of handling the whirlwind of the cyclocross world championships.

“Katie Compton and Kaitie Keough have been awesome as well,” Miller said. “Katie Compton has been staying with the team all week. Every night at dinner, there’s a little crowd around her soaking it in and taking in every little bit of advice she has.”

“Kaitie Keough has been awesome. She came out this morning and pre-rode with the women this morning. They were really excited to have her showing them the lines she rode on Saturday.”

Thanks in part to the constructive environment provided by Miller and USA Cycling, the U23 Women delivered impressive performances in Sunday’s U23 Women’s race. Both 17-year-old Katie Clouse and Clara Honsinger made the lead selection of 10 with 2 to go, and Clouse went on to finish 7th and Honsinger 10th.

Katie Clouse had a big ride for Team USA on Sunday. U23 Women, 2019 Cyclocross World Championships, Bogense, Denmark. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

Madigan Munro, a first-year Junior, also had an impressive ride in just her second European race, finishing 25th. With her finish in the top half of the U23 Women’s field, Munro is a rider poised to represent Team USA at the first-ever Junior Women’s World Championships next year.

Meredith Miller celebrates Munro’s ride. Elite Women. 2019 Hoogerheide World Cup, GP Adri van der Poel. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine

I chatted with Miller right after the U23 Women’s race when the stoke was still quite high from the impressive rides turned in by Team USA members. You can listen to our conversation below.