Kiel Reijnen

Pro Gravel Cyclist

"First Endurance sponsored the first regional team I ever raced for. They were engaged and paid attention to rider feedback. A number of years later I was back with First Endurance in the World Tour and I noticed an immediate shift. After that sponsorship ended, I continued to purchase First Endurance products (if that's not an endorsement I dont know what is)"

BIOGRAPHY

Born and raised on Bainbridge Island, a small island in the Pacific Northwest I discovered cycling as a means to get around the island. The sense of freedom that it gave me never left. I still find a bike to be the perfect tool for experiencing and exploring the world. I spent 12 years as a professional road cyclist, traveling the world and competing in some of the biggest races, including Grand Tours. Now with two daughters at home I have shifted my pursuit to gravel cycling. In just over a year I feel like I have rediscovered myself as a person and as an athlete in this new discipline. I love storytelling and having relatable experiences on the bike with others who are passionate about riding has brought renewed joy to what I do. Even after a decade and a half of racing I still love to push myself and redefine what is possible on the bike.

Palmarès

US National Championship

3rd Overall: 3x

USA Pro Challenge

Stage Winner: 2x

Grand Tour

Finisher: 3x

Favorite Strava Segment

Kiel's Top Picks

"OptygenHP gives me a noticeable increase in VO2 with regular usage and training."

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"EFS-PRO tastes great Hour 1 and Hour 6 of the ride. It also contains all the electrolytes I need even on my hardest, longest days."

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"As I get older general inflammation has become more of an issue and combating it with HALO means I feel fresher day to day."

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Q&A

Goal(s) for 2023:

Ride in at least 3 areas I have never been to before.

What’s your favorite quote and where did you first hear it?

“Comparison is the thief of joy.” - Theodore Roosevelt

Who is your favorite author and what is their best work?

Michael Pollen -- Omnivores Dilemma  

What’s the best training advice you’ve ever received?

Rest as hard as you train.

How did you get started in your sport?

Local bike shop took me to a practice crit in Seattle.

What’s the worst advice you’ve ever gotten? 

"Slam that stem."

If you had to be shipwrecked on a deserted island, but all your human needs—such as food and water—were taken care of, what two items would you want to have with you?

My two daughters

If you could have one superpower, which would you choose and why?

Not needing sleep, ‘cause parenthood.  

What’s your favorite website?

Craigslist “boat parts”

When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?

An architect.

Describe your first bike.

My first proper road bike was a steel Torelli, bright red paint with yellow bar tape.   

What's the craziest thing that’s ever happened to you?

Having kids.

What's your favorite movie and why? 

Rad, the 1986 BMX movie, because the 80’s are where it is at.  

Describe yourself with one word.

Persistent.  

Proudest sporting moment?

Helping Mads Pederson win Gent-Wevelgem. Also when I won the Philadelphia Classic for the second time.

Guilty pleasure food item?

Goldfish

Where is your “happy” place? 

On my boat on the Salish Sea

What is your most memorable meal? 

A Japanese feast we shared at my best friend's house in Highschool with the Buddhist monks on the island.

What is something that you learned from a parent or grandparent that has guided you in life?

Keep a captains log.

Who is your greatest mentor and what did they teach you?

My Family, they taught me how to love.

Who is your favorite band or artist and their best album and song? 

Modest Mouse -- “The Ocean Breathes Salty”  

What word do you hate the most? What word do you love the most? 

Vexed & Nomenclature

What’s your favorite sound? 

Wind in the halyards on the boat.

What’s your favorite smell? 

The Salish Sea.

What’s your “kryptonite”? 

Home sickness.

When I’m not riding or otherwise crushing it in my sport, you’ll find me:

Sailing with my daughters

Blog Posts

TRANSITIONING FROM THE WORLDTOUR TO THE NORTH AMERICAN BACKROADS

Place one of the individuals on your team as far up the results sheet as possible. That’s the goal in professional road racing. It’s simple, clean and easy to measure (of course doing so is complicated, full of variables, some controllable, others less so). That was my default mindset as I transitioned from road racer to gravel privateer. It wasn’t until some “bad luck” struck during Unbound last year that I realized how flawed dragging that approach around with me really was. 

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