The Redlands Bicycle Basic introduced by San Handbook Band of Mission Indians returns for a thirty eighth version this week, persevering with its status because the longest-running stage race for women and men in the USA. In 2024, the five-day occasion presents a brand new time trial course and a brand new mountain stage for professional fields which burgeon with an abundance of expertise.
Racing in southern California runs from Wednesday, April 10 to Sunday, April 14. The ladies’s professional area, with greater than 130 riders on 21 groups, will once more be one of many largest to take the beginning line when racing begins with the Metropolis of Highland Circuit Race. The lads’s professional area options 26 groups, together with two squads from Nice Britain – Ribble Insurrection, that includes USA’s Cole Davis, and ThrivaSRCT-SignaturePayments.
Final yr, Emily Ehrlich secured the final classification victory for Virginia’s Blue Ridge Twenty24 in a ladies’s area, her teammates Melisa Rollins and Laurel Quinones taking third and fourth general, respectively. The identical trio swept the rostrum within the Route 66 time trial. Different riders seemed for methods to attain stage wins, together with Skylar Schneider (L39ION of Los Angeles) who swept the weekend on the ultimate two days of racing.
On the lads’s facet, Tyler Stites (Challenge Echelon Racing) was the rider to beat within the males’s general, and he efficiently defended his title with a hard-fought battle towards rising teen star forward of 17-year-old expertise Andrew “AJ” August (Sizzling Tubes Growth) by a mere 14-second margin. Robin Carpenter (L39ION of Los Angeles) was one other 11 seconds again for third general, whereas Riley Sheehan (Denver Disruptors) was simply off the rostrum in fourth.
August is now racing in Europe with Ineos Grenadiers, as is Sheehan, competing with Israel-Premier Tech. The PatoBike ladies’s squad featured final yr’s runner-up Marcela Prieto, however the staff is not going to be at Redlands this yr.
‘Pivotal’ is what Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY24 normal supervisor Nicola Cranmer referred to as the course modifications this yr, particularly the mountain street race on the second day.
“This yr we’ve bought new challenges thrown at us and we’re prepared. It’s all the time enjoyable to race new phases with no historical past, this can be greater than a check of techniques and health. The Onyx Summit climb will actually be pivotal within the GC battle,” she stated about stage 2 on Thursday.
The 5 phases for professional males and professional ladies happen in and round Redlands, and embody a circuit race, particular person time trial, criterium and two street races.
Ladies’s contenders
Emily Ehrlich (Virginia’s Blue Ridge-TWENTY24)
Defending ladies’s champion Emily Ehrlich has had a quick begin to her 2024 season with a GC victory at Valley of the Solar stage race adopted by two gold medals at Pan American Observe Biking Championships. Recent off her observe feats, Ehrlich returns to for a second general win with an all-star forged from Virginia’s Blue Ridge-TWENTY24, supported by Marlies Mejias, who received the Highlands Circuit Race final yr, and 2022 US Professional street champion Emma Langley.
“Coming again to Redlands after profitable at Pan Ams feels oddly comforting and but thrilling with the addition of latest phases. It is a psychological and bodily wrestle to modify from the depth of observe racing again to the vitality calls for of street racing once more, however with an awesome staff to fall again on I’ve full confidence,” Ehrlich informed Cyclingnews.
Each Rollins and Quinones are again this yr, so the TWENTY24 squad has many choices for stage wins and a GC effort. Each raced at Valley of the Solar and Tucson Bicycle Basic, the place the staff went 1-2 on GC with Ehrlich and Mejias. Mexican rider Sofia Arreola was a help rider final yr at Redlands however returns because the winner of this yr’s general in Tucson. And from the junior staff, native Redlands resident Ella Sabo will look to mild up the sundown course the place she grew up.
Canadian Nadia Gontova climbed by dense fog to win final yr’s mountaintop end to Oak Glen Village and can now be one to look at together with her new DNA Professional Biking squad. Final yr whereas nonetheless a part of ROXO Racing, Gontava received a stage on the Vuelta Colombia Femenina in July.
The 23-year-old climber can be a part of a deep roster for DNA Professional Biking this trip, which can be led by veteran Sara Poidevin, who rode the previous two seasons on the Ladies’s WorldTour degree with EF Training-TIBCO-SVB. Additionally a confirmed climber, Poidevin has completed second on GC at Tour of the Gila and makes her inaugural look at Redlands.
Multi-time Colombian street champion Diana Peñuela, former Mexican street champion Anet Barrera and 2023 Tour of the Gila factors winner Shayna Powless carry strong help for the street and circuit days, whereas 2023 Redlands factors classification winner Holly Breck can be again on dwelling roads on southern California.
A brand new Williams Racing composite squad at Redlands Bicycle Basic can be led by achieved sprinters, and sisters, Samantha Schneider and Skylar Schneider. Final yr Skylar Schneider received two phases and completed second within the factors classification. The 24-year-old will almost definitely focus once more on stage wins, however might simply shift to pursuit of the GC.
She is the reigning Pan-American street race champion and was the bronze medallist on the 2023 US Professional street race nationals. In 2021 she received the general at Joe Martin Stage Race, and at that UCI occasion final yr had two podiums to safe the factors classification. Climber Kayla Davis, who raced final yr with Israel-Premier Tech-Roland Growth and Jamaican street race champion Llori Sharpe can be in help roles.
Emily Marcolini is again and can trip for her new 2024 staff Boneshaker p/b Orange Seal. The 28-year-old Canadian placed on a blinding efficiency two years in the past at Redlands Bicycle Basic, profitable solo on the Oak Glen climb from Yucaipa on stage 2 and occurring to lock up the mountain classification and third general.
This yr she completed second on a mountaintop end on stage 2 of Tour El Salvador. She’ll trip alongside Colombian climber Lorena Villamizar, who completed seventh general at Tour El Salvador.
Alia Shafi (Fount Biking)
Fount Biking has all the time been a shock staff from the home elite degree at any main races within the US, going again to , who returns with final yr’s finest newbie rider Alia Shafi.
Final yr, Shafi received the perfect newbie prize for girls, ending ninth general together with a second place on the Highland Circuit Race. She went on to win the Satan’s Den time trial at Joe Martin Stage Race and take fourth general within the UCI 2.2 occasion. To date this season she has two high 10s at Tucson Bicycle Basic.
Males’s contenders
Tyler Stites (Challenge Echelon Racing)
Stites is on type as he seems to be for a 3rd consecutive GC title at Redlands Bicycle Basic. The 26-year-old from Arizona already has 17 days of racing in his legs from a European swing with Challenge Echelon Racing, together with a victory at Rohdes GP by Tradition & Sports activities and three high 10s at Tour of Rhodes.
“I’m excited for the Redlands Basic this yr, with new programs that may shake up the dynamic. Onyx will definitely be a possibility to create time gaps and it will likely be a tough climb to cover your playing cards on. The time trial can be particular as a result of it’s a rarity to have a technical TT within the US,” he informed Cyclingnews.
“This yr’s area is absolutely sturdy and we all know we’re going to need to race on a regular basis. Something can occur on the Sundown Circuit, so the whole lot counts. It will likely be an awesome race and we’re motivated to defend our title.”
Robin Carpenter makes his season debut at Redlands Bicycle Basic. Final yr he secured the third step on the rostrum using for L39ION of Los Angeles, punctuating the week with a stage 5 victory to conclude the week.
“Racing the Redlands Bicycle Basic on a composite staff brings me again to 2011 and my first Redlands ever. I believe many individuals begin their US biking careers on a composite newbie squad at Redlands, the place they sleep at a number home and tackle classically laborious programs in an enormous peloton for the primary time,” recalled Carpenter earlier than taking the beginning this yr.
“The nostalgia for these emotions of starvation for outcomes is actual and I am stoked to each race myself and in addition to lend my experience to these youthful riders on my staff wanting to show themselves.”
Like the ladies’s Williams Composite squad, riders from throughout three groups operated by Williams Racing – L39ION of Los Angeles, Miami Blazers and Austin Aviators – had been chosen to compete at Redlands. Using alongside Carpenter are former US street champion Kyle Murphy and sprinter Cory Williams.
Eric Brunner (Primal-AudiDenver)
Two-time US elite males’s cyclocross nationwide champion, Eric Brunner, will be a part of Primal-AudiDenver only for the Redlands Bicycle Basic. He is a serious league wild card on the pavement, having targeted the previous two seasons in off-road pursuits, however he relishes the chance to compete once more on the US stage race, the place he final competed in 2022 and completed third general.
“I’m specializing in mountain bike (XCO) this season however have a little bit of the whole lot on the calendar. Redlands is the one street race I’m planning on this yr,” he informed Cyclingnews, as he’ll have his coach Grant Holicky as director with the Primal staff this week.
“The race is a crucial goal for me in addition to good coaching for the remainder of my season. I used to be very excited to have the chance to trip with Primal-Audi Denver, they’re a long-standing Colorado staff with numerous guys who I do know. I’ve my eye on Sunday’s Sundown stage which may be very punchy and technical, however I plan to go for it each day.”
Final yr at Redlands on the Highland circuit opener, Noah Granigan outsprinted Robin Carpenter to assert the primary chief’s jersey of the week for professional males. He was later second on stage 4 and completed sixth within the factors classification. Whereas he’s largely a sprinter who takes benefit of breakaways, Granigan has had success throughout stage races. He was second on GC at Joe Martin Stage Race two years in the past, and in addition received the mountains classification at Presidential Biking Tour of Turkey.
He’ll line up with one other former US street champion within the area, Stephen Bassett. a brand new member for the Denver Disruptors after 4 seasons with the Human Powered Well being/Rally Biking programme and racing in Europe. The final yr he had a US-heavy schedule was in 2019, when he received the general at Joe Martin Stage Race.
Redlands can be his first stage race of the season for each Granigan and Bassett.
Torbjørn Røed (Above + Past Most cancers Biking)
One other off-road rider who earned his stripes with street racing is Torbjørn Røed. He stormed on the scene in 2022 with Yoeleo Check Group p/b 4Mind. That yr he had high 10s in 4 stage races together with Joe Martin Stage Race and Tour of the Gila. Final yr at Redlands he was third on the time trial and completed tenth general.
Since then, Røed turned his focus to gravel racing, the place he has taken victories at Massive Sugar Gravel, Belgium Waffle Experience Kansas and this yr’s The MidSouth. Whereas he stated he’s simply using at Redlands as a help rider with Above + Past Most cancers Biking, his nice type from fifth finally weekend’s Belgian Waffle Experience Utah ought to translate effectively on the street.
“Our primary aim is simply stage wins, stage podiums,” Røed informed Cyclingnews. “I used to be third there on the TT final yr, however this yr’s TT is quite a bit totally different. The course was simply out and again, easy final yr, with none corners. And this yr it is a loop with numerous corners, proper and left and a little bit of a motorbike path in there. So it is type of slim and much more technical.
“I am tremendous excited for stage 2 as much as Massive Bear (Onyx Summit). I believe that is gonna be enjoyable. I do like lengthy and regular (climbs).”
