From learning how to walk to winning the Gila: Lauren De Crescenzo victorious in the 'toughest stage race in America'

Final Podium of 2022 Tour of the Gila UCI Women's Race
(Image credit: Tour of the Gila)

Six years ago, in April 2016, Lauren De Crescenzo was a neo-pro. After a decorated collegiate career, the then 25-years-old went pro with Visit Dallas DNA Pro Cycling. She was racing in the San Dimas Stage Race and leading out her teammate when she had a freak accident. Her handlebars got caught in some fencing and De Crescenzo went over the handlebars. Her first memories after that race come some three weeks later when she awoke in a hospital.

In that three-week blackout period, De Crescenzo had been airlifted to a nearby hospital and put in a medically induced coma for nearly a week to mitigate the brain bleeding. She also suffered a skull fracture, facial damage, a fractured vertebrae in her spine and several broken bones in her hand. She had to relearn how to talk, balance and walk. 

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Anne-Marije Rook
North American Editor

Cycling Weekly's North American Editor, Anne-Marije Rook is old school. She holds a degree in journalism and started out as a newspaper reporter — in print! She can even be seen bringing a pen and notepad to the press conference.

Originally from The Netherlands, she grew up a bike commuter and didn't find bike racing until her early twenties when living in Seattle, Washington. Strengthened by the many miles spent darting around Seattle's hilly streets on a steel single speed, Rook's progression in the sport was a quick one. As she competed at the elite level, her journalism career followed, and soon she became a full-time cycling journalist. She's now been a cycling journalist for 11 years.