Lauren De Crescenzo (born September 3, 1990) is an American professional
racing cyclist.[2][3] After a dedicated collegiate career, De Crescenzo won the 2021
Unbound Gravel race and placed as a runner-up in 2022. She overcame a traumatic brain injury from cycling to complete graduate school studying epidemiology and win races as a professional cyclist.[4]
Her college career included bronze medals in the 2018
USA Cycling Collegiate National Championship Road Race and Individual
omnium,[6] as well as gold in the 2019
Individual time trial.[7] On May 31, 2020, De Crescenzo set the women's
everesting world record,[8] ascending Hogpen Gap in Blairsville, Georgia 24 times in nine hours and fifty-seven minutes. Her ride covered 111 miles with an average climb gradient of 9.83%.[9] In June 2021, she won the 2021 Unbound Gravel 200 in 12:06:49.[10]In 2022, she placed second in the race.[3]
In 2023, De Crescenzo has continued to race on gravel roads and engage with sponsors on endorsement deals.[11][12]
Personal life
De Crescenzo is a graduate of
Emory University. During her first professional racing season in 2016, she suffered a
traumatic brain injury (TBI) following a bike crash, after which she was placed in a medically induced coma for six days.[4] De Crescenzo had a lengthy rehabilitation period in Colorado, after which she could relearn basic tasks and return to bicycle racing and graduate school.[13] Following her recovery, De Crescenzo has gone on to finish graduate school, complete a fellowship at the
Centers for Disease Control, and win more bike races.[14][15]