Stage win, podiums daily, U23 GC and elite 3rd GC
Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY28 Tucson Bicycle Classic
Stage win, podiums daily, U23 GC and elite 3rd GC
Roanoke, VA March 2, 2026 — It’s starting to feel like spring in Roanoke—the neighboring farm animals have officially ditched their jackets, the first hints of green are showing up in the fields, and I even snuck out for a short bike ride (it’s been months). The Blue Ridge Parkway is one of those places that never gets old, right on our doorstep, but this time of year it’s still a “check before you roll” situation, with some sections closed for maintenance.
On the local front: word is Scratch Biscuit now has a sweet potato biscuit in the mix (dangerous information to share with anyone trying to be “disciplined”). And if you’re looking for something to do beyond the usual routine, there’s a lot happening around the region right now everything from live music and theater to film programming tied to Women’s History Month.
Now, shifting gears, catching up on last week’s Tucson news below.
Directly on the heels of Valley of the Sun Stage Race, we rolled straight into Tucson, Arizona for the Tucson Bicycle Classic, a gritty four-day February showdown with a field of roughly 75 women, which is a strong turnout for this time of year. With Pan Ams happening at the same time, we arrived with a slim squad; the same four riders, Ella Sabo, Marj Rinaldo, Kenna Pfeiffer and Emmi Gilbert, who crushed it at VOS, ready to take on another four-day test.
This week brought a plot twist: rather than Shelley or me leading, the group had to develop their own strategies; reading the situation, communicating under stress, and choosing their actions as a team. It would have been easy for me to lay out the plan, but I wanted to see them step into that responsibility and learn a different side of racing. And the truth is, most of the time losing is learning and they were about to find out the hard way.
Thanks for reading, Nicola
Tucson Bicycle Classic
All in all, it was a valuable block of racing and training exactly the kind of experience that moves a young development group forward and sets the tone for the season ahead.
I came away genuinely proud of this group. Three of them have only been with the team for a matter of months, and the rate of improvement is obvious. Ella in particular who joined us as a junior continues to take big steps forward every time she pins on a number.
In many ways, it was perfect that our seasoned team leaders weren’t available for these races. It created the right environment for this squad to step up, take responsibility, and show me what they have and they absolutely did.
Across the two stage races seven days of racing they delivered four wins, a second place, two thirds, and General Classification: 1st, 2nd at Valley of the Sun and 3rd and a U23 GC at Tucson Bicycle classic.
Full story here: https://conta.cc/4aIwAkI
