Emily Newsom does a lot of things, including multidisciplinary racing, motherhood, and being a musician. But the 39-year-old recently confessed, "I know I can't do it all in 2022, and I know I can't do it all well."

The new Fort Worth, Texas-based Roxo Racing team will move from elite status in the U.S. to the continental level with 10 North American riders, allowing Newsom to focus on gravel racing. Narrowing the focus was an obvious choice for this accomplished rider who calls "Cowtown" home.

"I participated in the 2022 Lifetime Grand Prix and through it I discovered my love for off-road racing. The unique format offered by the Grand Prix made racing exciting and motivating throughout the year."

For the past five years, she has participated in the TIBCO-SVB program, which was elevated to the Women's World Tour last season as EF Education-TIBCO-SVB. Newsom will leave the pinnacle of the women's pro peloton to focus on the ever-expanding gravel calendar and limited road program.

"I'm not leaving the road. But with gravel as my primary goal, I will limit my road racing in the US to a few races," Newsom said in a statement announcing her departure from EF Education-TIBCO-SVB.

"Last year I found that I perform best when I have a stable home base to which I can return after a race. American riders who race in Europe usually travel to Europe during the racing season. The travel back and forth can be taxing, and while I enjoy carrying out what is required of me, I have found it difficult to find my groove."

"I have been working with a team TAF for the past few years.

During his time with Team TIBCO, Newsom rode in the breakaway group for countless distances in stage races and spring classics. This season, she has had a string of top finishes in time trials and placed fifth in the time trial at the US Pro Road National Championships.

It was off the pavement that she turned gravel into jewelry: in 2021, she won the inaugural Gravel Locos in Hico, Texas, completing the 155-mile off-road event in 8 hours and 4 minutes. She has two runner-up finishes in the Unbound Gravel 200 and Big Sugar Gravel. She recently accepted an invitation to return to the Grand Prix next year.

"With gravel booming in my backyard, coupled with my natural inclination for gravel, I thought it was a wise step to turn more attention to gravel. I also realized how much I love gravel and the environment surrounding mountain biking. There is something so peaceful about riding through open countryside, dense forests, and desolate desert mountains.

"The change in focus feels right. This change has been happening for a while now, and several events have coincided perfectly. While I feel some sadness about leaving one path and pursuing another, I also feel great excitement and determination. I feel a renewed sense of motivation and confidence that I can succeed in off-road racing. There is still a lot of work to be done, but I am good at hard work."

Newsom is a meticulous performer on and off the bike. She earned a master's degree in piano performance seven years ago to give birth to her daughter, Malaike, who at the time took a break from athletics, primarily running and triathlons, before returning to cycling in earnest.

She said early in her twenties that she wanted to be a concert pianist. When that dream "seemed to crumble," she said cycling helped her regain focus and enjoy the journey and the "colorful angles of life."

"My discovery of cycling after music was a perfect example of how there are so many things to pursue in life, and that when one dream ends, there is always another waiting. And while I am by no means done with cycling, I am also excited about what lies ahead."