Robyn Clay interview: crashes, comebacks, and a season to remember

At 21, Robyn Clay has rapidly become one of the most compelling young talents in domestic road racing. In a season marked by both startling achievements and profound resilience, she topped The British Continental national road race rankings and left an impression not only at home but also on international roads. This wasn’t a season of smooth ascension. It was one shaped by the unmistakable grit of an athlete willing to confront obstacles head-on – from hard crashes to gritty recoveries and everything in between.

Early in the year, Clay suffered a brutal crash in Belgium that could have unravelled her ambitions. The impact left her with a broken collarbone and four fractured vertebrae. For many riders, these injuries would have spelled the end of a season. Yet, Clay’s response was defiant and determined. In just six weeks, she was back on the bike, not just competing but winning. Victory followed at the prestigious Curlew Cup, and strong showings across UCI events only cemented her place among Britain’s rising stars. It’s this resilience, her ability to bounce back stronger each time, that has defined her as a rider who can weather the hardest of days.

In this interview, Clay reflects on a journey that started on the streets of Yorkshire, influenced by a cycling-savvy family but charted by her own fierce ambition. She opens up about her trials racing at the UCI Continental level with DAS-Hutchinson-Brother, her first encounters with the brutal reality of international competition, and the hard-earned lessons from a season of growth.

Despite her family’s rich cycling history – her Dad, Jonny, was a prominent domestic racer on track and road – cycling was never an inevitable choice for Clay. Raised in Leeds, she didn’t automatically take to the sport.

“I’ve ridden all my life,” she explains, “but not seriously, just out on the street and when my dad would go on a run, I’d ride next to him.” Cycling was a part of her, but only in the casual sense. For years, her primary focus was football, where she took on the gritty role of a centre-back, a position that suited her tenacity. “I played football… until I was 16,” she recalls. It was in football that she first tasted sporting success, part of the team that became ‘city champions’ in her last game.

The shift came, as with many young riders, in a single, transformative moment. In 2019, the UCI Road World Championships came to Yorkshire, and Clay found herself on the sidelines, watching the world’s best battle it out across familiar roads. It was the turning point she hadn’t anticipated. “I’d been riding a bit before that, but yeah, it spurred me on quite a bit.” Football faded, and cycling became something more than a casual pursuit. The lure of the race drew her in.

Covid delayed her introduction to racing; her first race wasn’t until May 2021, but her rise through the ranks was rapid, from her 7th place at the national circuit race championships later that year, still just a junior, to her dominant win at the Lincoln Grand Prix last year.

He’s just there as a mentor and someone that’s experienced it himself. He knows this world really well, so it’s really valuable to have him and to ask him questions

Throughout her evolution into a racing cyclist, her father has acted as a quiet mentor, a sounding board rather than a directive voice. “He’s very involved,” she acknowledges, “but he’s just there as a mentor and someone that’s experienced it himself. He knows this world really well, so it’s just… yeah, it’s really valuable to have him and to ask him questions, refer back to him when I need some advice.”

After spending a season with Pro-Noctis – Heidi Kjeldsen – 200 Degrees Coffee in 2023, then still a club team, Clay decided to switch the the UCI Continental DAS-Hutchinson-Brother outfit this season. It was an intentional move, a chance to race on a higher stage. “It was a Conti team,” she says simply, explaining her decision to switch teams at the end of last season. “Pro-Noctis wanted to go Continental, but they hadn’t yet been accepted, so I thought…” She pauses, considering her next words, “When a team becomes Continental for the first year, usually they’re trying to find their feet and might not get into many races. But I knew that because DAS had already been Continental, they’d probably get into more races and have a better calendar.”

The move wasn’t without its challenges. Clay, still young in her career, understood that racing at Continental level would demand more than just her natural talent. It required learning how to navigate the intricacies of UCI racing—the positioning, the tactical depth, the sheer intensity of it. “This year, it’s a step up for me in a way,” she admits, acknowledging the learning curve. And yet, despite the challenges, there’s a sense of satisfaction in her voice, a recognition that this was exactly what she wanted: a chance to push her limits and grow as a rider.

It was a tough start to the season. I just don’t think my form was there with the first race

Her first UCI road races this season proved to be a baptism by fire. She was a ‘DNF’ in her first race of the season at Altez GP Oetingen p/b Lotto, and then had to abandon the Tour de Normandie Féminin the following week after finding her over the time limit on stage 3.

Reflecting on those initial experiences, she says, “It was a tough start to the season. I just don’t think my form was there with the first race. And also… I was very inexperienced coming into the first race of the season and it being a really hard race.” That brutal reality check forced her to adapt quickly, to learn from each setback, and to refine her approach. “I was just hanging on for dear life, really,” she says with a laugh, describing the scramble to keep pace in her first races.

The setbacks came one after another. At the Tour de Normandie, on Stage 3, disaster struck. “I crashed,” she says matter-of-factly. Forced to ride the last 63 kilometres on a bike “two sizes too small,” she recalls the endurance it took just to finish the stage. “I was just… spat on the first QOM climb, and it was just… for the rest of the day, I was with a couple of other people, going with the broom wagon behind us.” Yet, even then, there was a lesson to be learned, a stubbornness to see it through. “They said we could get in if we wanted, but we could also finish the stage,” she remembers, choosing to grind it out to the finish line, out of time but not out of resolve. “It was a good training day, so we just carried on going.”

I think it’s important to have losses and setbacks and grow from them

Each setback could have been a reason to give up, to question her readiness for the level she’d committed to. Instead, Clay turned each challenge into fuel for improvement. “I think it just helped make me a stronger bike rider,” she reflects, a tone of hard-won wisdom in her voice. “You won’t do well if everything goes well all the time,” she says. “I think it’s important to have losses and setbacks and grow from them.” Clay’s natural response to a difficult day isn’t frustration, it seems; it’s determination. “If something doesn’t go too well, I’ll… I’ll just try to get better,” she says simply. It’s a resilience born of self-belief, the kind that doesn’t shy away from hard lessons.

Her season might have started with stumbles, but it wasn’t long before things clicked into place, marking Clay as one of Britain’s most promising young riders. After a bruising introduction to UCI racing, she found her form at the Peaks 2 Day and went on to secure her first win of 2024 at Capernwray. “That form came quite quickly,” she says with a modest confidence.

Her performance at Capernwray was a validation of her progress, but the real turning point came at the Région Pays de la Loire Tour the following weekend, where she placed 11th – a result that was tantalisingly close to scoring her first UCI points. “I was really pleased with Région Pays de la Loire, coming 11th,” she says, a note of pride in her voice. But, true to her competitive spirit, she was also frustrated by just how close she had come. “I was so close to the front group,” she recalls, “I won the sprint behind them, but it all split up on the last climb, and I was just… so close to being there.” Her voice trails off, but the ambition is unmistakable. She finished nine seconds behind the front group, knowing that with just a bit of team support, the outcome might have been different.

With every race, her form sharpened, and her understanding of herself as a rider deepened. “I think I’m a bit of a rouleur,” she says thoughtfully, evaluating her strengths. “I wouldn’t class myself as a sprinter. If it’s a proper… I don’t know, a proper sprint in a UCI race, it’s very unlikely I would win.” Instead, she sees her potential in the more tactical scenarios – a reduced bunch or a breakaway where her persistence and power can shine. “If it’s maybe from a reduced bunch, or if it’s a breakaway, then I’d… I’d fancy my chances a bit more,” she says, speaking with a clarity that shows she’s not just competing but learning, growing, and finding her place.

Despite her modesty about her sprint, she’s shown she can deliver a punch when it matters. “I’ve got a decent kick,” she concedes, “but it’s not… it’s nothing crazy.” Instead, she thrives in longer efforts, where her ability to suffer gives her an edge. “If there’s a sprint, I’d like it to be a long sprint,” she explains, “like a one to three-minute effort. Just something longer—I’m better at that.”

I think the more I race, the better I get. Racing is the best training for me

By the end of April, Clay had gone from hanging on in races to positioning herself as a genuine contender. Her results were no longer flashes of potential; they were hard-won achievements that underscored her growth. “I think the more I race, the better I get,” she says simply. “Racing is the best training for me.” She found that with each start line, her racing head grew sharper, her instincts keener. “I found that doing UCI races throughout the year, I slowly got more familiar with them and started to understand them better,” she explains. “It’s a different type of racing… like doing a road race and a crit. It’s just different, and you’ve got to get used to it.”

𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐉 𝐃𝐈𝐄 𝐈𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐊𝐎𝐔𝐃𝐄 𝐑𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐍 𝐁𝐄𝐙𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐓❗😱🆘

Het gebeurt allemaal aan de finish van de Cyclis Bike Lease Classic… Hopelijk is alles met iedereen in orde 🙏🍀#pickxsports #cycling #crash #cyclisbikeleaseclassic pic.twitter.com/GKkcGwYPtS

— Pickx Sports (@PickxSports) May 1, 2024

For all the highs of her breakthrough season, Clay’s progress was thrown into stark perspective during a brutal crash at the Cyclis Bike-Lease Classic in Belgium in early May. “I remember all of it,” she says, with a mix of clarity and disbelief. It was a bunch sprint, the peloton surging at full tilt, and Clay was right in the thick of it. “I was kind of like middle, maybe 20th wheel, and there was nowhere I could go,” she recalls, replaying the helplessness of that split second. “I just got taken out and ended up in the barriers… we were full whack. I was sprinting when I came down.”

I just got taken out and ended up in the barriers… we were full whack. I was sprinting when I came down

The crash left her with a broken collarbone and four fractured vertebrae—injuries that might have sidelined a rider for the season. Yet, even in those first moments, Clay’s mind was already set on what she could learn from the ordeal. “After the crash, obviously, I was really upset, but I was also thinking, ‘Why wasn’t I further forward? How can I be better next time?’” she reflects, her self-critique mingling with the physical pain. Her reaction, instinctive and immediate, was not about blame or despair, but about how she could position herself differently in the future. “If I’d have been further forward, I wouldn’t have come down,” she says.

The physical toll was immense. A day later, she was in surgery, with a plate inserted in her collarbone. “They weren’t too concerned about my spine – it was painful, but it was all stable and nothing to do with my spinal cord. They just kind of said, ‘take it easy and it’ll heal.’” For two weeks, she was off the bike entirely, her daily routine reduced to the basics of recovery. Yet, even in those early days, she was already visualising her return. “I took two weeks off completely, then I started slowly building back up,” she explains. Her setup on the Wattbike at home was adjusted so she could sit upright, riding as “easy as I could” as her collarbone began to heal. Her recovery was swift. Within six weeks of the crash, she was back in the peloton. “As far as bad crashes go… as far as those injuries go, I came back fairly quick, which was good,” she says, understatedly.

Her first race back, the CAMS Ronde van Wymeswold in June, was nervewracking, Clay not shying away from acknowledging the mental scars. “For the first, like, 20 minutes, half an hour, I was really scared,” she admits. “I was just scared that I was going to crash again.”

For the first, like, 20 minutes, half an hour, I was really scared – scared that I was going to crash again

That fear, though, didn’t last. Once the race settled, so did she. “After about half an hour, I was comfortable, I was fine, and I was loving racing again,” she recalls, her relief palpable. Her return was marked with more than just survival; she won that stage, an emphatic reminder of her resilience. “I went way too early, and it was block headwind,” she laughs, still surprised at herself. “I don’t know how I held it off.”

Despite the win, Clay was conscious that her form was not where she’d hoped it would be coming into key races. “It was hard because that was a time of year where I wanted to be going really well,” she admits. “I’d kind of targeted that, wanted to build towards nationals.” But even with those ambitions interrupted, she refused to let the crash define her season.

As the season progressed, Clay turned her sights to Belgium, where she lined up for a series of kermesses and UCI races. Racing in Belgium was different – a new level of intensity and tactical awareness that stretched her limits. “I was knocking on the door of a result but just not quite there,” she says, her tone filled with equal parts frustration and resolve. At Brasschaat, she found herself finishing 18th in the Kermesse, enough to qualify her for the elimination race afterward, though she almost missed the opportunity. “I didn’t know if I’d got into the elimination race,” she admits. “I was a bit upset and then found out I was in it, so I had to snap out of it.” And snap out of it she did. In that elimination race, Robyn came out on top, taking the win and with it, a thousand euros. “That was nice,” she says with a modest smile.

In the team briefing, I just asked, ‘Can we ride for me?’

From there, the results continued to build, several podiums and top finishes were evidence of her recovery, both physically and mentally. And then came the Curlew Cup, the finale of the National Road Series race, an important race in its own right, and a new opportunity to assert herself within the team. This time, Robyn made her ambitions clear. “In the team briefing, I just asked, ‘Can we ride for me?’” she says, reflecting on the boldness of her request. After months of working for others, helping teammates secure results while she rebuilt her strength, Clay felt it was finally her moment. “I felt like throughout the season I’d either been not racing because I’d been ill or injured, or I’d been building back, which means I’d been working for someone else.” With confidence in her form, she asked for the support – and DAS responded.

Clay’s teammates rallied around her, even as mechanical issues left some struggling just to stay in the race. “Mia and Morven were having bike swaps the whole race… Mia had six bike changes!” Clay laughs, recounting the chaos. Yet, despite the challenges, her teammates still found a way to give her the lead-out she needed. “Mia led me out… and then she pulled off, just in time.” With clear road ahead, Clay launched her sprint, cutting through the final chicane with momentum and opening a gap she never relinquished. “I think I must have got some momentum through the chicane or something because I opened up a gap quite quick,” she recalls, a hint of disbelief in her voice. “It was a really good feeling.”

The win was a breakthrough for Clay, a validation of her belief that she could lead the team, that she could claim a race as her own. “I was reluctant to ask to ride for me,” she admits. “You don’t want to say, ‘Can we ride for me?’ and then have a rubbish day.” But the risk paid off, and Clay delivered, her victory marking a defining moment in her season. Reflecting on that period, she says, “It’s a good feeling, knowing you can put your name forward, that the team will ride for you… and that you can pull it off.”

It’s a good feeling, knowing you can put your name forward, that the team will ride for you… and that you can pull it off

Her move to DAS-Hutchinson-Brother this year has placed her within a structure designed for both individual growth and collective success, and navigating the dynamics of team roles became a key part of her development. “It’s a great team,” she says, noting how DAS balances ambition with support. “They allow you to develop and learn… it’s a good place for someone that’s trying to develop.”

Throughout the season, Robyn has come to understand the complexities of team dynamics—the balance of support, the sacrifices, and the joy of seeing a teammate’s success as a collective achievement. At the Rás na mBan, for example, she and teammate Caoimhe O’Brien were on a mission to defend the leader’s jersey for Mia Griffin. “Mia was leading the Rás, so me and Caoimhe were trying to pick up results behind Mia when we could,” she explains. But there was little room for personal glory in this race -every effort was dedicated to ensuring Griffin’s victory. “In the crit, I was just giving everything to make sure Mia was safe,” she says. “Making sure that no important people were going up the road without Mia… that stuff. It was quite stressful, actually.” Yet, all the hard work paid off, with Mia taking the overall win. “In the end, we just managed to hold on,” Clay says with pride. “She won the overall, which is amazing.”

At only 21, she’s already tasted success, battled setbacks, and grown in ways that few young riders have. But if you ask her where she’s headed, her answer is clear: she wants to go all the way. “I’d like to become professional,” she says with quiet conviction. “That’s the main goal.” The path forward is mapped out in her mind, but she knows it’s not one she can sprint through. “One step at a time,” she says, understanding that each season, each race, brings her closer to that ultimate aim.

Clay’s aspirations don’t stop at the road. She has also begun exploring track racing, an endeavour that’s quickly captured her interest and added a new dimension to her goals. “I started that in November,” she says, reflecting on her first experiences on the track. “I just did the London Three Day, which was amazing. It was such a good experience, I’m starting to get a hang of it now.” The thrill of track cycling offers a fresh challenge, a contrast to the long hours on the road, and Clay is intrigued by what it might add to her development.

She’s candid about the learning curve involved—“I did track nationals last year, and I didn’t qualify for any bunch races… it was just rubbish,” she laughs. But she recognises that the track demands a different skill set, one that she’s eager to master. “I’d only done track league, and it was just a completely different type of racing,” she explains. Now, with the initial jitters behind her, she’s looking forward to taking on the track with renewed focus. “At least I’ve done that and know what to expect a bit more for this year’s nationals,” she says, the prospect of another challenge lighting up her voice.

Hopefully next year, well, I can get some results and then just step up, get onto a paid Conti team or maybe Pro Conti

For now, Robyn’s immediate future remains with DAS-Hutchinson-Brother, a team she describes as an ideal environment for development. “It’s not out yet, but I’ll most likely still be with DAS,” she says, pragmatic about her options. “Even if I wanted to move on, I’ve not got the results this year, really.” But her respect for the team goes beyond the practical; DAS has given her the space to grow, and she values the environment they’ve created for young riders.

As she wraps up her breakthrough season, Clay’s ambitions are anchored in practical goals. “Hopefully next year, well, I can get some results and then just step up, get onto a paid Conti team or maybe Pro Conti,” she explains, her tone suggesting a patient determination. “Just see how it goes… hopefully one day I’ll be professional, racing on a WorldTour team.”