As the country paused to celebrate the grit and ingenuity of American workers, our crew clocked in at the Gateway Cup—four days of racing that have become a true Labor Day tradition. The spirit of the holiday was everywhere: teammates covering moves, staff turning wrenches, partners and families lifting us from afar. With Roanoke, VA as our home base and heartbeat—and with Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge and Visit Virginia on our kits—we carried that work ethic to St. Louis. When we travel, we proudly fly the Virginia flag, showcasing the beauty and energy of our home state wherever we race. The racing was fierce, the teamwork tighter, and the results a testament to collective effort.
Gateway Cup is a team favorite. Four days, fast circuits, and a small-but-mighty international trio—Rylee McMullen, Marlies Mejias Garcia, and Sofia Arreola—took on St. Louis. The team won three of the four days, secured the omnium, and topped the American Criterium Cup standings for Best Team, with Rylee also winning the ACC Sprint Competition.
“Winning three stages and the omnium at Gateway Cup feels incredible, but what I’m most proud of is how we did it—together. We had one tough day where we missed the podium, yet we stayed calm, kept our focus, and still locked up the ACC Sprint and Team competitions. Sofia and Rylee were outstanding all weekend, closing breaks and keeping me safe so I could finish the job. This was a true team effort, and I’m grateful for all of the hard work.” — Marlies Mejías
Gateway Cup Omnium Results
- Marlies Mejías Garcia (CUB) – UCI CTW: Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY28
- Josephine Peloquin (CAN) – LA Sweat Racing
- Laurel Rathbun (USA) Aurea Racing
Daily reports below.
Up next before we wrap the season: Maryland Cycling Classic (UCI 1.1, Baltimore, MD), Bucks County Classic (Doylestown, PA), and GP Gatineau (UCI 1.1—Road Race, Time Trial, and Criterium, Gatineau, Canada.) UCI Track World Championships and of course the Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge annual meeting!
Day 4 Mejias takes the win and overall
Tour de Florissant | Final Day
If the playbook from the peloton was “anything but a sprint,” they executed it to perfection—relentless attacks, constant reshuffles, and no free meters. The objective was clear: shake Marlies and avoid bringing the fastest finisher in the country to the line.
Sofia Arreola and Rylee McMullen answered every chapter of that script. From the first counters to the late-race surges, the duo patrolled the front, closed gaps, and neutralized move after move to keep the race intact. It was blue-collar teamwork at its best—calm, committed, and uncompromising.
With the stage set, Marlies had one job left: deliver. In a drag-race to the line, a perfectly timed bike throw sealed the win and kept the leader’s jersey on her shoulders to close out Gateway Cup. A team effort, paid off in the blink of a wheel.
Gratitude
- Josh and Amy Heater — your hospitality is unmatched. It’s a tradition now: we stay with you, we win. Thank you for being the most incredible supporters year after year.
- Rafael — flawless work all weekend.
- Marlies Mejías Garcia (CUB) – UCI CTW: Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY28
- Laurel Rathbun (USA) Aurea Racing
- Josephine Peloquin (CAN) – LA Sweat Racing
Day 3 – Winners ACC Sprint Jersey and Team overall
Day 3 Giro Della Montagna
The race tested us in more ways than one. Despite the momentum of our strong performances earlier in the week, today we found ourselves on the back foot. Mistakes were made, communication broke down, and tired minds led to a lapse in focus. It doesn’t happen often, but in the heat of racing, even the most seasoned teams can falter.
That said, there is plenty to celebrate. Our athletes came away with American Criterium Cup victories—winning the Sprint Jersey overall and Best Team overall. These achievements underscore the consistency, strength, and teamwork that have defined our season.
While today’s race didn’t go our way, the bigger picture reminds us of what we’ve accomplished. We’re still leading the Gateway Cup overall standings as we head into the final day, with everything to fight for and renewed determination to finish strong.
Onward to the finale—let’s close it out with focus and fire.
American Criterium Cup – Sprint Competition
- Rylee McMullen (NZL) – UCI CTW: Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY28
- Andrea Cyr (USA) Fount Cycling Guild
- Sofia Arreola (MEX) – UCI CTW: Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY28
American Criterium Cup – Team Competition
- UCI CTW: Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY28
- UTC Butcher Box
- Fount Cycling Guild
2/2 Mejias Garcia wins Tour de Francis Park
Day 2 — Tour de Francis Park
Textbook teamwork on a fast, flowing circuit. Rylee and Sofía patrolled the front to shut down breaks and keep it together for the finale, where Marlies sealed the sprint—claiming this stage for the fourth straight year. That makes us 2-for-2 to start the weekend, with spirits high heading into today’s ACC finale at Giro della Montagna.
“We knew teams would try to force breaks so they wouldn’t have to bring Marlies to the line. Even if she wasn’t firing on all cylinders, she can still unleash a powerful sprint. Rylee and I did the heavy lifting to control the race, and Marlies even jumped in to help shut down a few moves. In the end, she freestyled the finish and took the win.” — Sofía Arreola
- Marlies Mejías Garcia (CUB) – UCI CTW: Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY28
- Aline Seitz (SUI) – UTC Butcherbox Cycling
- Laurel Rathbun (USA) – Aurea racing
A Win for Mejias Garcia – Tour de Lafayette
Day 1 — Tour de Lafayette
Under the lights in St. Louis, our trimmed-down three-rider squad came out swinging. With two riders sidelined by illness, Rylee McMullen and Sofía Arreola locked down every move and kept the pace controlled, setting up a clean runway for Marlies Mejías. Marlies delivered a decisive sprint to take the win and open Gateway Cup with maximum confidence and momentum.
“To be honest, I was apprehensive coming into the weekend. I crashed a couple of weeks ago and hadn’t been able to sprint. I’m never one for excuses, but I’ve been dealing with a painful hematoma on my pelvis. As the race unfolded, my teammates Rylee and Sofía rode brilliantly to set me up for a sprint. It hurt—but I was happy to finish their work with a win.” — Marlies Mejías
- Marlies Mejías Garcia (CUB) – UCI CTW: Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY28
- Aline Seitz (SUI) – UTC Butcherbox Cycling
- Josephine Peloquin (CAN) – LA Sweat Racing
