Gateway Cup Win Day 1 Tour de Lafayette

1. Marlies Mejias (CUB)  UCI CTW Virginia's Blue Ridge TWENTY28‍
2. Skylar Schneider (USA) L39ion of Los Angeles
3. Kimberly Shoveled (USA) Automatic
4. Barbara Guarischi (ITA) UCI WWT SD WORX ProTime‍
5. Olivia Cummins (USA) UCI CTW Virginia's Blue Ridge TWENTY28

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Gateway Cup opened with a fast, furious and brutally hot night of racing at the Tour de Lafayette, and our three-rider squad of Olivia Cummins, Marlies Mejías and Sofía Arreola came ready to race offensively.

The plan was simple: stay active, create opportunities and make sure we were represented if a dangerous move went up the road. Marlies and Sofía put in repeated attacks throughout the race, keeping the pressure on and forcing the other teams to respond.

We were comfortable with either scenario; a breakaway, as long as we were in it, or a field sprint if the race came back together.

In the closing laps, a four-rider breakaway established itself and began to extend its advantage. Marlies was exactly where she needed to be and delivered in the sprint, taking the win in a photo finish over Skylar Schneider.

Behind the break, Olivia capped off a strong team performance by winning the field sprint for fifth, besting some of the strongest sprinters in the country.

A great way to open Gateway Cup — aggressive racing, smart teamwork and a win to start the weekend.