Saturday, April 11

The team had a great weekend racing on the beautiful grounds of the US Air Force Academy. The squad was smaller than usual, with several top riders competing at the Redlands Classic in California (results available here: https://redlandsclassic.com/2026-race-results/).

Saturday featured a 10-mile circuit race that climbed steadily toward the base of the Front Range, making for a long, grueling effort each lap.

The men's race started early, with Jake Olander and Ian Williams establishing an early breakaway. They stayed off the front for two laps before the peloton increased the pace and brought them back. Once the break was caught, the field splintered into several groups. Sam Hart and Cooper Mangum made the lead selection and both rode strong races, finishing fourth and fifth after the final climb.

In the women's race, smaller fields led to more individual efforts. Caroline and Melly rode consistently to finish fifth and eighth, respectively.

Sunday

Sunday's race was one of the most unique criteriums the team has experienced, held on the Academy's airfield using runways and taxiways. The 1.5-mile course allowed riders to see much of the field throughout each lap, creating a dynamic racing environment.

Early races enjoyed calm conditions, with temperatures in the 60s and little wind. In the women's Category 4/5 race, the team rode well together. Izzy set up for a strong sprint to take second place, followed by Stella in fourth after a valiant last-lap breakaway attempt.

As the day progressed, winds picked up and created a strong crosswind along the runway finishing straight. In the men's race, this resulted in echelons forming and splitting the field into four to five groups. A solo rider stayed off the front to take the win, while Sam Hart and Cooper Mangum again rode in the second group on the road, finishing fourth and fifth.