Project Echelon Racing returns in 2025 at the Continental level for a third year our of eight seasons, confirming a 15-rider roster looking to replicate, or go bigger, than their 26 race wins from this past season. Veterans Stephen Bassett, Brendan Rhim and Scott McGill form a solid base with long-term objectives fixed on representation at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
Leading the squad since 2022, Tyler Stites heads to Caja Rural-Seguros RGA on a two-year contract. The 26-year-old all-rounder has finished on the podium at US Pro nationals in the time trial or road race each of the last three years. He accounted for 18 stage or classification podium this past season, including the GC win at Tour of the Gila.
Only two other riders depart, Zach Gregg and Matt Zimmer, while 11 riders return, including Rhim and McGill who accounted for four stage wins across events in the US, France and Portugal. Four new riders include US riders Cole Davis, Kieran Haug and Troy Fields plus Jonas Walton, the U23 Canadian ITT national champion.
"We are coming off of our most successful season since the team was founded in 2016. With a total of 26 wins that included a National Championship, several North American GC wins, and five UCI Europe Tour victories, replicating those results is objective number one," Eric Hill, team founder and race director for Project Echelon Racing, told Cyclingnews.
"Over the past couple of seasons, Tyler Stites has been a major focus of our race plans. With his departure, opportunity is going to come calling for a lot of riders. The strength of our team is the team, guys just stepping up, holding themselves accountable, and taking advantage of opportunities."
Stites was a consistent performer at US Pro Nationals, but it was Bassett who delivered a victory last year in surprising fashion at the US Pro men's criterium championship in Charleston, West Virginia. In fact, Project Echelon Racing swept the elite men's podium at the crit championships, Rhim in second and McGill in third.
Bassett, now 29 years old, gained notoriety in 2019 when he stole the show in his hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee at the US Pro Road Nationals, finishing three seconds behind winner Alex Howes for the silver medal. This past April, his Denver Disruptors team suddenly folded, and he was provided a roster spot on Project Echelon, just in time to thank them with a stars-and-stripes jersey at Road Nationals two weeks later.
"So overjoyed to be racing my bike and to bring home the stars and stripes criterium title! In all of the excitement, I kind of forgot that this was my first race with Project Echelon Racing and I cannot thank every member of the team enough for welcoming me with such open arms," Bassett had posted to social media.
Hill said the team would continue to lean on Bassett for leadership in 2025, but that "any rider can win on any given day."
"Clearly, there are cultural leaders in the team, guys like Sam Boardman, Ricky Arnopol and Laurent Gervais who often play the role of the ultimate teammate, and riders with a lot of experience to lean on like Brendan Rhim, Scott McGill and Stephen Bassett. But the strength of our team is the team, guys just stepping up, holding themselves accountable, and taking advantage of opportunities," Hill said.
"Hugo Scala, who won the team's first .Pro at the Vuelta Portugal, is certainly set for a breakout year. Riders like Laurent Gervais, who often played the role of super domestique, will also see new opportunities."
Of the new talent, Hill expected the quartet to contribute right away, with Fields and Walton in particular bringing strength in time trials.
Fields, a 21-year-old from Tennessee who rode for Team California, was the silver medallist at US nationals in the men's junior time trial, and also finished second in the ITT at Tucson Bicycle Classic. He displayed his versatility with a stage win at Vuelta Ciclista a Zamora, and also had top fives at Highlands Gravel Classic and Boulder Roubaix.
Walton, son of Canadian road race champion and Olympian Brian Walton, rode the last two seasons at the Continental level with Team Ecoflo Chronos. The 20-year-old has a pair of collegiate national titles and finished fourth on GC at Tour of the Gila.
'I was drawn to Project Echelon due to their ability to find success in a variety of races. Whether that is North American or European racing, stage results or GC wins, and a wide range of results all across their roster. It looks like a great team with plenty of opportunities to grow," Walton said in a team statement.
Hill said the lineup should deliver Project Echelon Racing as one of the most prolific teams in North America, with US National Championships as a top target, as well as a European calendar.
"Long term, we have set a goal of being the top UCI Continental Team in the world by the 2028 LA Olympics where we hope to have strong representation of Project Echelon Racing Athletes, as well as veteran athletes in the Paralympic Games. Through these things, our hope is that we are inspiring the growth of cycling in North America and using our platform to share our mission to educate, equip and empower veterans through physical activity."
Project Echelon Racing roster 2025
- Ricky Arnopol (USA)
- Stephen Bassett (USA)
- Cade Bickmore (USA)
- Sam Boardman (USA)
- Caleb Classen (USA)
- Ethan Craine (New Zealand)
- Cole Davis - (USA)
- Laurent Gervais (CAN)
- Kieran Haug - (USA)
- Troy Fields - (USA)
- Colby Lange (USA)
- Scott McGill (USA)
- Brendan Rhim (USA)
- Hugo Scala (USA)
- Jonas Walton (CAN)
