Rally Cycling is excited to announce the signing of Rio silver medalist, World and Pan American champion Kelly Catlin. A key rider for the United States track program, she is one of the most promising up-and-coming riders in North America. Catlin is set to bring her strength and speed to the domestic peloton, while at the same time pursuing her education.
A native of Minnesota, Catlin comes from a long background in athletics, playing soccer until the age of 17, when stress fractures in her legs led her to pursue a sport with less running. Introduced to cycling by her brother, she tried some local Minnesota events before tackling a few larger stage races. A natural on the bike, Catlin quickly rose through the ranks and represented the United States at the 2013 Junior Road Race World Championships. The following year, strong results at the Nature Valley Grand Prix led to a residency at the Olympic Training Center in in Colorado Springs.
Catlin’s time at the Olympic Training Center underscored her potential and she soon became an intricate part of the United States track program. Racing on the track for the first time at the 2015 Pan American Games, she stormed to silver in the team pursuit and won the individual time trial on the road. A full schedule of World Cups during the 2015-2016 track season culminated in the 2016 World Championships and a gold medal in the team pursuit. With rainbow stripes in hand, Catlin set her sights on the Olympic Games in Rio where she claimed a silver medal in the team pursuit. She capped her incredible season with gold in the individual pursuit at the Pan Am Championships earlier this month in Aguascalientes, Mexico. With the Olympic year coming to a close, Catlin will now turn her focus to the road and her studies.
"Rally Cycling has been a well-regarded name in the domestic peloton since I started racing," said Catlin. "The opportunity to learn from such an experienced team while hopefully playing some small part in their upward trajectory was irresistible. My goal for this season is primarily to learn. While I have some measure of experience on the road, I am hoping to contribute to the goals and successes of Rally Cycling while enhancing my ability to contribute in a team environment."
In addition to taking to the road in the colors of Rally Cycling, Catlin will also be pursuing a dual major in Mathematics and Chinese at the University of Minnesota's College of Science and Engineering. As she invests time in her personal development, Rally Cycling is proud to help provide stability and support for her long term sporting ambitions.
"Kelly will bring a great dynamic to the team," said Team Director Zach Bell. "A key to our team’s success is having great athletes that are also exceptional people. This helps create an atmosphere of excellence within the program, both on and off the bike. Kelly has demonstrated with her Olympic success and recent Pan American win that she is a fantastic athlete. She will balance her time with the team with the pursuit of a high level education. The dynamic presence she will bring to the group will improve the quality of our team."
