53. Amber Pierce - On Pro Cycling, Mentorship & Building Products Athletes Love

A self-professed nerd from Stanford to which she earned a swimming scholarship after breaking state and national records as a youth, our guest pivoted to the Stanford cycling team after a shoulder injury pulled her from the pool. 

After graduation, Amber moved to Austria, where she lived and raced full-time on the World-Cup circuit in Europe from 2007-2013. During those years, she became internationally recognized as a respected domestique in the pro peloton and helped her American compatriots earn Olympic berths whilst racing for the US National Team. 

Upon returning to America in 2014, she continued racing internationally as a pro for both American and European UCI World Tour teams. In 2018 she retired from full-time road racing but continues to represent and compete for Cannondale. 

We talk about what it takes to be an exceptional mentor, leader and cyclist as well as how boxing and cycling are sometimes all too similar.