Marlies Mejías Wins the Parkside Criterium at Momentum Indy
Day 2 - Parkside Criterium
Indianapolis, Indiana
- Marlies Mejias Garcia (CUB) UCI CTW: Virginia's Blue Ridge TWENTY28
- Paola Munoz (CHI) Fearlesss Femmes P/B The Beasley Firm
- Andrea Cyr (USA) HigherDOSE I Renova
- Kyra Marett (NZL) 1KFlips Racing
- Javiera Munoz (CHI) Fearlesss Femmes P/B The Beasley Firm
Marlies Mejías Wins the Parkside Criterium at Momentum Indy
Marlies Mejías delivered the win on Day 2 of Momentum Indy, taking victory in the Parkside Criterium on the more challenging course introduced last year.“I love the hill and enjoy the harder criteriums,” Marlies said. “Sofía managed the breakaway attempts and kept the pace high over the final five laps. She’s really hitting her stride. I felt good in the sprint and put in enough effort to take the win.”
Marlies took the overall Omnium win
The victory closes out a long racing block on the road for Marlies, who is now looking forward to heading home and preparing for the Central American and Caribbean Games.
Day 1 - Momentum Indy Criterium
Indianapolis, Indiana
- Kyra Marett (NZL) 1KFlips Racing
- Marlies Mejias Garcia (CUB) UCI CTW: Virginia's Blue Ridge TWENTY28
- Paola Munoz (CHI) Fearlesss Femmes P/B The Beasley Firm
- Andrea Cyr (USA) HigherDOSE I Renova
- Stephanie Lawrence (USA) HigherDOSE I Renova
Momentum Indy Criterium: Marlies Mejías Field Sprint for Second
Momentum Indy remains one of Marlies Mejías' favorite races on the calendar, and the Cuban champion once again found herself in the fight for victory, finishing second after a tactical and unpredictable race. The closing laps were shaped by unusual race dynamics, as a lone rider established a modest advantage while several larger teams, with six and seven riders each, chose not to organize a chase. TWENTY28 teammates Marlies Mejías and Sofía Arreola took on the responsibility of driving the pace, but despite their efforts, the gap proved just enough to hold to the finish.
With the win out of reach, Marlies delivered a powerful sprint to take second place from the field, continuing an impressive run of podium performances.
Marlies Mejías:
"Momentum Indy is one of my favorite criteriums, and it's always a race I look forward to. The race played out a little differently today. A rider got away in the closing laps, and even with several larger teams in the race, nobody wanted to commit to bringing it back. Sofía and I did everything we could to close the gap, but it wasn't enough. I'm proud of how we raced together, and I was happy to win the field sprint for second. It was another strong day for our team."
Here in Roanoke, Virginia’s Blue Ridge is alive with the energy of the USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships. Athletes, families, coaches, colleagues, and friends have arrived from across the country, and the entire region is heaving with excitement, passion, and potential. There is something very special about seeing our trails, venues, and community filled with people who share such a deep love of sport.
At the same time, I have one eye firmly fixed on the FIFA World Cup. England plays Argentina today in the semifinal, and I have barely missed a match throughout what has been a fantastic tournament. Football was the background music of my childhood. My dad played, my mum worked for the Football Association, the governing body for the sport in England for many years and my brothers were both solid players. Cycling eventually became my life’s work, but football was part of the foundation.
That sporting energy has carried through a busy week for our own team. At Momentum Indy, Marlies Mejías earned a win and a second-place finish and an omnium win supported by important teamwork from Sofía Arreola. Boise Twilight brought extraordinary heat, with temperatures reaching 104 degrees at the evening start, while Kenna Pfeiffer and Marj Rinaldo took on the Manhattan Beach Grand Prix to gain experience and continue sharpening their criterium craft.
Different sports, different disciplines, and different stages of development, but the same passion, courage, preparation, and willingness to step into the arena.
Full story here: https://conta.cc/4fFyfZF
