Roanoke, Va. Virginia’s Blue Ridge continues to thrive as a premier outdoor destination, further energized by the excitement of hosting the 2025 USA Cycling Endurance Mountain Bike National Championships. I live just a couple of miles from Explore Park and regularly hike or ride the trails there—it’s been especially rewarding to see both locals and visitors out enjoying the terrain, many of whom discovered the park during the championship event. This incredible trail network my backyard!
With a brief pause in team travel, it’s the perfect time to stack some big training miles—after catching every stage of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, of course. Occasionally, an athlete will choose to incorporate a race into their training block, and that’s exactly what Olivia Cummins did with Chicago Grit. Over the course of 10 days, she delivered a steady string of performances, earning multiple top‑5 finishes and a strong 4th overall. Rylee McMullen joined for the final stretch, claiming a 2nd place podium and securing the coveted Sprinter’s Jersey in the American Criterium Cup. While Chicago Grit wasn’t originally on the race calendar, it turned out to be an incredibly valuable block for both riders.
*Chicago Grit was a great block of racing! I consistently finished among the top riders each day, including a podium on Day 3. Flying solo for the first half of the series added an extra challenge, but it was still fun to be in the mix and focus on improving with every race. After a hard-fought battle for the overall podium, I finished 4th overall, just missing out on 3rd on the final day.” – Olivia
Meanwhile, Anna Hicks continues to embrace new challenges—taking to the velodrome and diving into track racing with focus and curiosity. With her sights set on growth, this is a season of experimentation and bold steps forward.
Now looking ahead, the team pivots fully to track with the Landis Tyson Cup Classic omnium, followed by the U.S. Elite Track National Championships in Colorado Springs.
Lake Bluff Criterium
- Kendall Ryan (USA) L39ion of Los Angeles
- Rylee McMullen (NZL) UCI CTW: Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY28
- Josephine Peloquin LA SWEAT racing
McMullen leads the American Criterium Cup Sprint Competition
Rylee McMullen leads the ACC Sprint competition, with Olivia Cummins in 2nd place. One more race to go in a few weeks at Gateway Cup in St. Louis, MO
“I Jumped into the last few days of Chicago Grit with Olivia which was really fun. It’s been a big season and I’m definitely feeling ready for a rest, but it was nice to be there for Olivia and get stuck into a few days of racing. It was good to get second place on a fast, technical course which I love. On the last day I picked up a few more points in the ACC sprint competition, so I’ll be in the green jersey heading into the final round at Gateway Cup in a couple weeks..” – Rylee McMullen
The first week of Chicago Grit
Day 1-5 Olivia Cummins raced solo at Chicago Grit, scoring multiple top 5 places.
“I’ve been trying to find my footing racing solo again these past few days at Chicago Grit. Every day so far has brought fast, tactical racing with LA Sweat and Fearless Femme being the big teams represented. Throughout the races I’ve been watching for and staying on top of any dangerous moves going up the road, but making sure to manage my energy for the sprint in the end as well, as that is my biggest strength. Seeing progress in my racing every day and I’m excited to be joined by my teammate, Rylee McMullen, and to carry the momentum for the last half of the series!” – Olivia Cummins
Winfield Criterium
- Claudia Marcks – The Cyclery Racing team
- Josephine Peloquin – LA Sweat
- Olivia Cummins UCI CTW: Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY28
Anna Hicks Trying New Things
“Track racing has been a breath of fresh air in my cycling career. The opportunity to expand my skills and fitness in a whole new discipline has been a successful endeavor that has me excited and motivated to chase new goals! I am very grateful for the support from USAC on the track as well as the local Boulder track community who have welcomed me into training session and local races, teaching me the ropes in a fun and supportive environment. I am excited to take on Track Nationals next month and continuing progressing in this new discipline.” – Anna Hicks
Up next for Anna, USA Cycling Track Camp in Colorado Springs, Landis Tyson Track Cup and U.S elite National track Championships.