'Caroline Mani is available' – French cyclocross star closes racing career this year where it all started in Colorado 15 years ago

Relentless is one word to describe Caroline Mani, from her fast-paced speech pattern to her attacking style on any cyclocross course. The 2025-2026 cyclocross season marked her 20th year in the sport, and she'll light the ignition for two final hole starts at Boulder Cup UCI C2 races this weekend in Colorado.

The 38-year-old has five French 'cross national titles, the last red-white-and-blue champion's jersey earned in her hometown of Besaçon in 2019. Her career is packed with results, including a silver medal at the 2016 UCI Cyclo-cross Worlds, a bronze at the European Championships that same year, and 32 World Cup top 10s.

What makes her final weekend so special, she said, was pinning on her last numbers in the Colorado town which gave her a reason to move to the US almost 15 years ago.

"My first team was based in Boulder. I signed with Raleigh Clement. So it's just kind of a full circle. So it's gonna be fun, definitely an emotional week for sure. It's kind of a little funeral. The sport has been my life," Mani told Cyclingnews via telephone.

"Who is Caroline without cyclocross? I've built an identity. I feel like I've done what I have to do in 'cross."

In her first four years as an under-23 rider, she only had two podiums. It was not until the 2009-2010 season that she began to scoop up wins and top results as an elite rider.

With her move to the US in 2011, she still raced European World Cups but had a heavy North American schedule. When the US Cyclocross series was established in 2021, she went straight to work and won the overall title. She won it again in 2022.

She's thought about retirement several times before, but kept doing what she loved. Last year she was motivated to continue when she reunited with a former cyclocross teammate, USA's Kerry Werner, on her own programme. Werner was a reason she kept going again this season, despite some physical issues.

"This year, I was like, come on Kerry, let's do it together one more time, otherwise I don't want to do it on my own. I think we both kind of had a blast.

"You never know when it's time. But this year I came to the conclusion that I was ready. I feel more at peace. There's many years I was frustrated with lack of sponsorship, struggling to do it on your own. And this year, I'm still having fun, I'm still at a good level, and I can finish on good terms, instead of one year too many."

However, Mani added that her ride into the sunset hit unexpected turbulence just two days before Boulder Cup, receiving news that Pas Normal Studios would no longer be her full-time employer.

"I had a bigger picture, where I was adding more responsibility at work, focusing on my career, working as a North American activations manager for Pas Normal Studios. Out of the freaking blue, I get laid off, two days before I retire," she told Cyclingnews, saying the news arrived hours before the call.

"I'm like, OK guys, I wish I would have known this three months prior. Now I have to find a job. So Caroline is available!"

Even with sudden life changes coming from multiple directions this week, she stayed positive. Her dream job would be to work on the other side of racing, as a team manager, "helping athletes to succeed and live a dream like I did".

Mani said she loved making her home in the US. When she moved to Colorado to race with a US team, she never gave up her French citizenship, but she did have to master the English language.

"I failed English every single time in school. So when I moved here, my English was pathetic. I could not express myself. It was quite a challenge. But it was worth it. I fell in love with the sport [cyclocross] even more when I moved here. I love the [cycling] community, and it's more like a big family.

"I can't be just a couch potato. I may race other stuff next year. I'm ready to have a 'normal' life."

Boulder Cup UCI races return after a five-year absence from the calendar. They were last contested in 2019 as the US Open of Cyclocross, where Mani finished in third and fourth place on the weekend of racing. This year's races will be held at Valmont Park.