For the first time in six years, the U.S. National Road Race Championships, also known as US Pro Nats, has moved to a new host: Charleston, West Virginia. The change brings fresh courses ready to crown new national champions.This year, we will not only see the WorldTour riders go head to head with their domestic contemporaries, but the U23 and Junior categories will also be racing in Charleston during the same week and on the same courses.
For the fans at homes, all the races will be live-streamed on Flo Bikes.
A Flat and Fast Time Trial
Wednesday, May 15
Racing starts at 8 a.m. with the U23 categories followed by the Elite Women and Men
The new time trial course will be a demonstration of pure power and speed. The 10.3-mile out and back lap features just 95 feet of elevation gain and almost no corners. The Elite men and women will complete two laps to decide a champion.
In the women's race, reigning champion and former world time trial champion Chloe Dygert is noticeably missing from the start list. Last year's second-place finisher, Lauren Stephens, will return, however. Now part of the Cynisca Cycling team, Stephens won the Tour of the Gila in April and looks primed to take the title.
Last year’s third and fourth-place finishers, Amber Neben and Trek pro triathlete Taylor Knibb, will also be looking to make the most of their opportunities and vie for the top step.
But it will be challenging with the EF-Education Cannondale duo of Kristen Faulkner and Veronica Ewers coming in from Europe to contest the championships along with track phenom Lily Williams (Human Powered Health) who is coming off a very solid performance at Vuelta Femenina.
In the men's race, Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates) is favored to defend his stars-and-stripes skinsuit, after having recently won a trial at the Tour de Romandie. McNulty has had a strong season on the road, finishing third overall at Paris-Nice and winning the General Classification at Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana. But he will undoubtedly be challenged by the dominant domestic time trialist Tyler Stites of Project Echelon. He will be closely followed by his teammates, track riders Colby Lange and Brendan Rhim, and time trial specialist Zach Gregg. Neilson Powless (EF Education Easypost) will be the only other WorldTour rider taking to the start.
A six-corner crit
Friday, May 16
6:30 p.m. start for the Elite Women
8:00 p.m. start for the Elite Men
The new venue gives us a six-corner crit along the Kanawha River in downtown Charleston, sure to generate excitement.
In the men's race, we are guaranteed to see a shakeup. Three-time defending champion Luke Lamperti (Soudal Quickstep) will not be competing as he is currently riding in the Giro d’Italia. Without the lone wolf Lamperti, the domestic powerhouses of L39ion of Los Angeles and the Miami Blazers will be set on finally bringing the Criterium stars and stripes jersey to their midst
L39ion is bringing a powerful team, including Robin Carpenter and former winner Tyler Magner. But Miami will put up a challenge with podium finisher Tyler Williams and Noah Granigan coming off a successful speedweek.
With the largest team, including 10 riders, Project Echelon will be looking to dominate the race. Cade Bickmore comes fresh off a win at the Tour of the Gila criterium and is backed by massive support. Echelon will surely be the team to watch.
Reign Storm brings Danny Summerhill and Michael Hernandez. Summerhill is coming off a very strong speedweek with multiple podium finishes.
The U23 powerhouse of Aevolo Cycling will be competing in both the U23 and pro races. They will certainly be looking to disrupt the race and get their star sprinter, current U23 national criterium champion Brody McDonald, into position to try and step up into the pro title.
However, the threats aren’t just coming from teams with a lot of riders; Lawson Craddock of Bike Exchange Jayco will be the sole WorldTour rider taking on the crit. Former U23 criterium champion Liam Flanagan of Team Skyline will be racing to make his breakthrough on the Pro stage. And while Cole Davis of Ribble Rebellion may be without his British team, he can still be a threat as his own.
Last year, in the women's race, we saw a battle between L39ion and Coryn Labecki, with Labecki taking an emphatic win in the final sprint. Labecki is returning, this time in the colors of the EF Education Cannondale team, and while she once again lacks teammates, that hasn't stopped her from winning before. She will be the heavy favorite to defend the title. L39ion is sending a solid duo to challenge with sisters Alexis Magner and Kendall Ryan hoping to bring back the title back to the domestic scene.
The Miami Blazers are sending their sister duo of Skyler and Sam Schneider. With Skylar coming off a win in the criterium at Redlands, they will be looking to bring home yet another jersey.
WorldTour riders Lily Williams and Ruth Edwards from Human Powered Health, will be looking to set up for a shot at the jersey as well and domestic team Fount Cycling will have six riders in the race, hoping to find strength in numbers.
A Dynamic Road Race
Sunday, May 19
8:00 a.m. start for the Elite women
1:00 p.m. start for the Elite men
The new course in West Virginia is very dynamic. It is a 13-mile lap with two major climbs and over 1,100 feet of elevation gain.
On the men’s side, once again, the team to watch will be Project Echelon with Tyler Stites as its race leader. With podium finishes in the past, Stites will be looking to finally take the top step and cement himself as the best racer in the U.S. currently.
First, he will have to deal with Brandon McNulty. The UAE Emirates rider has been extremely strong and, with the Olympics on the horizon, he’ll be looking for a top finish. Sean Quinn and Neilson Powless (EF Education Easypost) will also be looking at a course that suits their climbing and punchy style and will threaten to bring the title back to the EF team for the first time since Alex Howes in 2019.
In the men's road race, similar to the crit, we will not see our defending champion Quinn Simmons; however, his younger brother Colby of Visma Lease a Bike’s development team will be competing in both the U23 and Pro road races, and looking to follow in his brother's footsteps and take the jersey back to Durango, Colorado. Another young gun looking to make a name is Owen Cole. After coming out of nowhere to win the U23 road race last year, Cole joined the UAE Team Emirates U23 team and will be looking to make the most of that European racing experience and challenge for the jersey.
The domestic U23 devo team of Aevolo will also compete in both the U23 and Pro races and are certainly a team to keep an eye on.h. With a deep, talented team, they certainly have the firepower for a podium finish.
L39ion is bringing former pro road race champion Kyle Murphy and strong teammates in Carpenter, Estevez and Magner for a chance to reclaim the title.
The defending champion is also missing from the women’s race with Chloe Dygert opting to not travel to West Virginia, making room for a new champion. But Labecki (EF Education Cannondale ) finished second last year and will undoubtedly be looking to move up to the top step this year, eyeing her 74th national title (junior, collegiate and professional combined).
With the strong showing of Veronica Ewers, Kristen Faulkner and Natalie Quinn, EF Education Cannondale is in a good position to take the jersey home as well. Faulkner has had a very strong spring and is coming off a stage win at the Vuelta Feminina.
Human Powered Health will continue with their duo of Lily Williams and former national champion Ruth Edwards. After a break to race gravel for a year, Edwards has returned to road racing and will want to prove that’s once again a national champion contender.
Emma Langley returns with the Virginia Blue Ridge 24 team and, after a seventh place last year, will seek to improve to a podium finish this year.
The DNA Pro Cycling team, with Shayna Powless and five additional riders, is one of the larger teams in the race and should have plenty of opportunities to land someone on the podium.
