Local Athlete Spotlight: Chloé Mauvais
Meet Chloé
When you meet Chloe Mauvais, you quickly see the determination in her eyes. She started cycling a few years ago, but you’d never guess it from the confidence she brings to the sport. Off the bike, she’s pursuing a PhD — a dual path that demands both mental stamina and physical endurance. Balancing these two worlds might sound impossible, yet Chloe seems driven by the very challenges that come her way.
In fact, her earliest memories of riding go all the way back to childhood. Growing up in San Francisco, Chloe recalls having training wheels and the thrill of being on two wheels. But for a long time, cycling simply wasn’t part of her daily life. It wasn’t until she stumbled onto group rides and felt the rush of testing her limits that she realized, This is something I could fall in love with. Once she started, she found that each new challenge only fueled her desire to improve. And soon enough, there was a race that truly tested just how far she was willing to go.
That race was Redlands, a multi-day stage race known for high-intensity racing and an unforgiving peloton. Despite her excitement, Chloe quickly discovered she wasn’t quite ready for the professional-level speeds.
“I thought I was ready. I showed up... and I got spat out the back of the peloton. It was such a painful experience.”
Most people might have dialed it back after that kind of debut, but not Chloe.
“That experience of the difficulty... made me want to ride even more.”
She realized that cycling wasn’t just a casual weekend hobby anymore. Between her PhD research and ramping up her training, she started showing up daily — logging more miles, tweaking her nutrition, and building mental resilience for her next big test.
Facing the Challenge
As Chloe’s passion deepened, she figured out that the toughest battles often happen in your head — not just in your legs. She jokes about how people say she’s a natural “sprinter,” yet she’s spent countless hours honing her skills for longer climbs and repeated attacks. This is where her mindset plays a crucial role: every pedal stroke becomes a conversation with herself.
“The biggest challenges that I've faced on the bike, it’s always in my head. There are so many things that you can struggle with... but so much of it has to do with how you think about yourself and how you’re willing to push yourself.”
Chloe felt this in Europe, too. Racing in Ireland and Belgium showed her the sky-high level of European fields — and the gaps she’d need to close to hang with them. But rather than give up, she broke her bigger goals down into smaller pieces: cornering technique, positioning, intervals. Each skill she tackled was another brick in the foundation she was building.
A similar wake-up call happened at Low Gap, a gravel race featuring two monstrous climbs. Mid-race, she found herself alone at the front of a climb, only to have another rider catch her from behind. Already gassed and second-guessing her ability to climb, Chloe had a split-second choice: settle, or fight?
“I remember white knuckling the handlebars and thinking, ‘This sucks... I’m not a climber, I’m a sprinter.’ But then I started thinking, ‘This finish line is not the end of the race. Actually, the finish line is the top of the climb...’”
In that moment, she realized how much negative self-talk can hold you back — and how a simple mental shift can keep you going. She dug in, survived the attacks, and ended up securing second place behind an olympian cyclist.
“You really have to learn to negotiate with yourself and to tell yourself that it’s worth it to keep pushing even if it doesn’t look like you’re going to do well.”
Heading Toward the Next Horizon
Of course, chasing big goals can lead to big setbacks. Chloe discovered the importance of recovery after a crash in Ireland left her battered and bruised:
“The first time I came to [Verdure Sports Massage] was immediately after I had a pretty big crash in Ireland... it made me able to get back on my bike faster than I would have been able to otherwise.”
She learned that taking care of her body is just as essential as any hard interval session. Now, she relies on sports massage, stretching, and mindful rest to keep herself going through demanding training blocks. On top of that, she’s preparing for exams and writing a dissertation — a workload that demands she prioritize both physical and mental well-being. If she doesn’t, she risks burning out on all fronts.
“If you want to do this for the long run, you have to take care of yourself.”
Chloe is aware of the huge commitment it takes to truly compete with the best. Still, she says the real joy comes from simpler moments — feeling that childlike rush of speeding down a quiet road or finally nailing a corner she’s been practicing for weeks.
“It’s not about the race result anymore... it’s about the childish enjoyment of being on my bike and going fast.”
Whether it’s scaling another massive climb or getting through a tough research deadline, Chloe’s found that life on two wheels mirrors life in academia: it’s all about showing up consistently and trusting the process. And if there’s one thing she’s learned from Redlands, Low Gap, and countless training rides, it’s that a strong mind, a healthy body, and a little faith in yourself can take you a long way — on or off the bike.
