Between Freedom and Structure: How Rosa Klöser Is Carving Her Own Path

For many, moving from complete independence into a highly structured team sounds like a contradiction. For Rosa Klöser, it’s the perfect balance. As a privateer in gravel racing while also riding for a WorldTour team on the road, she brings together two worlds: full autonomy and professional team structure.

In this interview, she talks about routines as a foundation, mental endurance, scientific curiosity – and why “continuous improvement” ultimately comes down to one thing: passion.

AG1: You’ve gone from a very self-organised lifestyle to being part of a highly structured team. What felt most challenging about that shift – and what turned out to be unexpectedly freeing?
Rosa Klöser: In my current setup, I’m a privateer in gravel and part of a WorldTour team on the road. For me, that balance is a dream come true – I can manage myself independently and enjoy the freedom of my gravel programme, while also benefiting from a highly structured team environment and learning a lot from my teammates.

You really want to understand things – tactics, equipment, your body. How do you decide when optimisation is worth it, and when simplicity is the better choice?
Trial and error. Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts.

Many people associate routines with restriction. You experience the opposite. Which routines give you stability – and even freedom – especially when things are new, fast or unpredictable?
As an athlete, I see routines as my foundation. So much changes every single day. Routines allow me to relax and trust that I’m on the right path.

In long races, endurance is mental as well as physical. How do you protect your energy – not just physically, but mentally too?
My experience as a scientist helps a lot. No project ever follows a straight line – there are always detours. It’s not about reaching the finish without struggle; it’s about staying committed, even in the tough moments.

When your day-to-day life suddenly becomes more intense – travel, races, expectations – what basics need to be covered so you can fully focus on riding?

Are there moments in your day when you consciously don’t want to think too much – decision fatigue – and simply trust a system because it works
Routines help me a lot, especially on stressful travel days. AG1 is part of that. It used to stress me out travelling with a huge box of supplements.

How has your scientific background shaped you as a person and an athlete – and which mindset from that world is most valuable to you on the bike today?
My curiosity and my enthusiasm. I love diving into new projects – whether that’s new races or new race routes.

If you had to define freedom at this stage of your life – on and off the bike – what would it mean to you?
Exploring new parts of the world and discovering new places – and meeting inspiring people along the way.

You’ve said you always want to keep evolving. “Continuous improvement” is a core value at AG1. What does that mean to you personally – and what small things do you do regularly to improve?

Do you listen to music while riding (or during your morning routine)? If so, what’s currently on repeat?
Absolutely. From “leavemealone” by Fred again.. to “Shyne” by Travis Scott. I love UK rap. (You can find Rosa’s playlist here.)

What gives you more: being alone and going into the tunnel – or the energy of the group?
It depends. But in the final minute before a race starts, I prefer to be completely by myself.

Sweet or savoury? And what’s your go-to snack after long days?
Sweet – and it depends on the country I’m in. When I lived in Denmark, a cinnamon bun during a long weekend ride was the highlight. In Andorra: a croissant with dulce de leche.

Weather: which conditions do you secretly love – and which test your patience the most?
Heat. I love the sun and often feel I can perform just as well in high temperatures. Drizzle, on the other hand, really gets on my nerves.

What do you do when you feel mentally overloaded and need to wind down?
Recovery boots and a hot chocolate.

What do you miss most about your “old” everyday life?
My colleagues and my students. I loved teaching or chatting about new projects with colleagues over coffee.

What’s a team luxury you genuinely appreciate now – even though you never expected to?
The support car during training camps on extremely rainy days. It’s pure luxury to be able to change into dry clothes mid-session.

Thank you, Rosa!