'Walked in with few expectations, walked away with some hardware' - U23 talent Katherine Sarkisov demonstrates race intelligence at recent US Road and Cyclocross nationals

Katherine 'Katia' Sarkisov grew up racing bicycles in Maryland, her younger sister Alyssa tagging along most of the time. At the age of 10, she raced in the 11-12 and 11-14 age categories in cyclocross and road events because there were no races for younger riders. Two years later, she was consistently winning those same races.

The family has roots in Russia, and her parents taught her to speak Russian before English. But she is very much an all-American girl. As a 12-year-old, she had a bronze-medal sweep at USA Cycling Amateur Road Nationals in the time trial, road race and criterium.

Then, at age 13, she won her first US junior women's title, beginning a string of success at cyclocross nationals. Now at the ripe old age of 22, the elder of the Sarkisov sisters has 17 medals across junior, U23, elite and collegiate races at cyclocross and road national championships.

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From the Lux Development squad in 2022, she moved to Cynisca Cycling and then CCB p/b Levine Law Group. During that time, she rode for CXD Trek Bikes for cyclocross, winning the U23 gold medal at the 2024 US Cyclocross Nationals in a memorable collision with Cassidy Hickey just metres away from the finish line.

In 2025, she surpassed that by earning a bronze medal in the elite women's road race at USPro Championships, finishing just two seconds behind winner Kristen Faulkner (EF Education-Oatly) and Lauren Stephens (Aegis). "Walked in with few expectations, walked away with some hardware. Hard to put it into words how much this third place means to me," she wrote on social media after standing on the podium next to the two veterans.

Sarkisov shared with Cyclingnews her desire to race any surface, having a sister on the same teams for multiple disciplines and using the most recent winter 'off' time to launch her career off the bike.

Cyclingnews: Tell us about where you grew up in the US and how you first discovered cycling.

Katherine Sarkisov: I grew up in Maryland, which has a big cycling community and a great Mid-Atlantic race scene. My dad has loved cycling for most of his life, and he introduced me to the sport when I was about 10 years old. He signed me up for a local youth club where I was surrounded by other kids my age, and for my first few years in the sport, I almost always trained and raced alongside riders from my area. It made getting into racing fun and easy to enjoy from a young age.

CN: Your sister Alyssa, three years younger, is a teammate with you for 'cross and now road, in 2026 with CCB Kenetik p/b Levine Law Group, so have the two of you always been friends, or do you just ride bikes together?

KS: When we were younger, we definitely bickered and fought quite a lot, but as we’ve grown up, that’s completely changed, and now I can honestly say my sister is one of my closest friends. We share so many similar experiences and can relate to each other on so much, both in cycling and outside of it. Whenever we’re together, we make time to hang out, whether that’s riding or just hanging out. I see her less often now that she’s moved to Indiana for school, but we always make time to call and catch up on everyday life.

CN: There is a lot of cyclocross in the mid-Atlantic states, so did you get hooked on 'cross first, and then move to road?

KS: I started out racing with Rock Creek Velo, a youth team that supports both road and cyclocross, so from the beginning I was doing both disciplines and racing year-round. For younger riders, it was centred around group practices, and as we got older, we were paired with a coach who provided more tailored training. It was incredible to have that level of support from a largely parent and volunteer-run organization. During my time with the team, I won my first cyclocross national title in Reno.

The following season, I joined CXD-Trek Bikes for cyclocross and have been with the team ever since. That program has played a huge role in my development, not just in cyclocross but as an overall athlete. They’ve supported me through both strong seasons and more challenging ones, and having that consistency over the years has meant a lot. It’s a team that truly invests in long-term growth, and being part of that environment has helped shape who I am as a rider today.

CN: You earned your first US national championship medals when you were 12 years old, earning bronze medals in all three road events you entered - criterium, road race and time trial. What made that special for you?

KS: I have really fond memories of that Nationals. At the time, earning my first podium medals felt incredibly exciting and memorable, and I was just over the moon to come home with them. That experience sparked a lot of motivation and excitement for racing, and it’s what kept me coming back to the sport, wanting to chase more moments like that.

CN: You earned your first gold medal at US Nationals in the cyclocross discipline when you were 14, and also won big 'cross races at Charm City Cross and DCCX. Did you feel like you wanted to focus more on 'cross with this success?

KS: I don’t think I ever really favoured one discipline over the other. From the beginning, I raced year-round, with cyclocross in the fall and road in the spring and summer, and that rhythm has stayed pretty consistent. I enjoy having goals to work toward throughout the year, and the off-season has usually been a time to focus on school and now work before the racing calendar picks back up again.

CN: What are your top 3 favourite memories so far as a junior/U23?

KS: One of my favourite memories is racing in my first Cyclocross World Championships in Fayetteville. At the time, I didn’t fully appreciate how special it was to compete at a world championship on home soil, but looking back, the atmosphere and the support for Team USA made it unforgettable. Another highlight was earning my first European podium at GP Sven Nys Baal as a junior. And finally, this past season’s elite cyclocross nationals stand out; my sister and I both made the podium, which made the moment incredibly special.

CN: Oh yes, you and your sister competed in the elite women's field at US Cyclocross Nationals last December, you at age 21 and Alyssa at just 18. Tell us about why you raced in the elite division, where you missed the gold medal by one second.

KS: There were a few factors behind my decision to race the elite field at USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships last year. I knew that on a good day, I could contend for the elite jersey, and after winning the U23 title the year before, I decided to go for the elite jersey instead. I didn’t feel amazing at the start of the race, but my legs really came around toward the end, and I was able to get moving. By then, it was just a bit too late to close the gap, and I finished second. My younger sister, Alyssa Sarkisov, finished third in the same race. It was hard to be disappointed in the race much at all because I got to stand on the podium with my sister.

CN: By 2023, you were racing with Cynisca and earned your first international podium in France at Tour de Charente-Maritime, a 98km road race after a morning ITT. Did you come away with new impressions about the European peloton and sharpened skills?

KS: Racing with Cynisca Cycling in Europe gave me a lot of valuable new experiences. The European peloton races differently, and simply being in that environment helped me learn what it takes to perform in Europe. The racing was much more aggressive and physical than what I was used to, so it definitely came with a learning curve.

CN: In 2025, you competed in a unique doubleheader at USPro Road Nats - women's U23 road race and then women's elite road race. You improved from fourth in the U23 event to third in the elite race, too. Did the U23 race give you insights into the course and how to race the elites? What was most special to you about the elite race?

KS: The dynamic of the U23 race was quite different from the elite race, but it was still really valuable to get a feel for the course ahead of time. I hadn’t originally planned to race the elite event, and it was only about an hour after the U23 race that I decided to line up again. The U23 race didn’t quite go the way I’d hoped, so I saw the elite race as another opportunity and went in without many expectations. I was mostly just hoping to improve on my result from the previous year when the U23s raced with the elites.

Ending up on the elite podium was far from what I imagined going into the day, which made it incredibly special. The next day, I learned that the result also qualified me for the UCI Road World Championships in Rwanda, which was the perfect cherry on top of the whole experience.

CN: Now on your second road season with the CCB Kenetik team, what do you see as your best skills on the road, and what do you hope to learn with your CCB team?

KS: I think my strongest skills on the road are my race intelligence and my ability to read and analyze a race. This season with CCB, I’m looking forward to developing in several areas, especially improving my pack positioning in bigger races. I’m also excited to learn from our DS, Megan Guarnier, whose experience and success as a racer provide an incredible opportunity to grow this season.

CN: This year started well at the Redlands Cycling Classic, with fifth overall. Tell us what made that race special.

KS: I was really happy to come away with two podiums and the white jersey at the Redlands. It was my first race of the season, so it felt great to start the year off strong and build some confidence early on.

Redlands is one of my favourite US races. The town does an amazing job putting on the event, and the host housing is such a special part of the experience because it gives you the chance to meet and connect with people in the local community. Over the years, I’ve stayed with several different host families, and each one has played a big role in making my Redlands experience so positive and memorable.

CN: Tell us what you do off the bike, especially since you completed studies at the University of Maryland.

KS: Most recently, after the Cyclocross World Championships, I used the off-season to start my first full-time job, taking advantage of the downtime from training to get into the flow of work and be ready to balance it once the road season began. In December 2025, I started working as a software engineer for a defense contractor. Software development has always been a passion of mine, and it’s what I see as my long-term career, even if I step away for a period of time to race professionally.

CN: Other than being good at racing bikes, what are two things that would surprise people about you?

KS: Two things that might surprise people about me are that I have been a plant mom for eight years and currently keep 13 plants in my room, though I have had as many as 20 in previous years, and that Russian was my first language.