By Rebecca Reza
DCC Alpecine Steals Clarendon Cup Victory, Summerhill Wins Armed Forces Omnium
DCC Alpecine’s Andreas Mayr launched his sprint from the left side of the finishing straight, surprising America’s Cycling Group’s Danny Summerhill to win the Clarendon Cup on Sunday. Summerhill was second for the second day, with Alec Cowan rounding the podium in third.
“I was pretty sure I could make it, no matter what position I was in the last corner. I think I was 5th, and then I just fired it up. It was fine, I had 2 gears left,” Mayr said after celebrating the victory with his team. “Not to say anything against the Armed Forces Cycling Classic, but of course Tulsa Tough is one of our big targets. This was just the cherry; the cake comes next week in Tulsa. We are highly motivated.”
The mostly German squad spent their first weekend of racing animating the race, forcing their new rivals from American Cycling Group and L39ion of Los Angeles to change up their tactics. The strength of the DCC Alpecine squad made for an exciting weekend of racing for the fans in Arlington.
The tight 1km, 5-corner circuit lent itself to a breakaway. Nine riders managed to escape roughly 20 laps into the 100km on tap for the day. The group included heavy hitters like L39ion of LA’s Justin Williams, Danny Summerhill, Sebastian Cano, Alex Cowan (L39ion), Will Hardin (Project Echelon), Evan McQuirk (ButcherBox), Will Gleason (CSVelo), with Mayr and Manuel Porzner for DCC Alpecine.
As the riders began eyeing one another, McQuirk took advantage of the moment, attacking his breakaway companions. The Butcherbox rider managed to gain a gap up to 20 seconds, staying away for more than 20 laps. He was awarded the most heroic jersey for his efforts.
“I tried to get up the road as much as possible to take the pressure off of our sprinters,” McQuirk said. “We had Dusan[Kalaba] in second place coming out of the Crystal City Cup.
“Only about half of the guys were working in the break, so I just decided to try and get up the road. Considering the caliber of riders that were in that breakaway, there was a lot of horsepower. Hat’s off to the rest of the guys, they rode phenomenally.”
With less than 20 laps to go, McQuirk had been reigned in, and both Justin Williams along with Manuel Porzner were trailing off the back and would eventually lose contact. Alec Cowan tried his hand attacking with 8 laps to go. The L39ion rider had crashed early on, getting back up quickly but was stuck in his 13th gear.
“I had been taking that corner super well but I think I just slipped out, it wasn’t my finest moment,” Cowan said after finishing third. “I got a bunch of road rash, but nothing broken, the bike is a little beat up. I couldn’t shift anymore, so I was stuck in this massive gear. You can only do so much with that.”
In the end, it was a day for the veterans on the road. Mayr is 39 years of age, while Summerhill is racing his 12th professional season on the road.
“I can’t complain, it was a hell of a weekend and my first time doing Armed Forces,” Summerhill said after being awarded the omnium jersey. “A couple of podiums – not a win – but it’s alright.
“I’m very fortunate, I have some family health issues. My dad has Alzheimer’s and he lives with me; to be able to train enough to be a contender in these races and to be able to fight for the win is pretty special. I think that was always a question mark whether or not I would be able to keep doing both. At least up until this point this year, it’s been working out okay so far.”
Next up for the season will be the Saint Francis Tulsa Tough starting on Friday, as teams head to Oklahoma.
Rider Quotes
Andreas – I was very happy to have Manual with me in the breakaway, I told him you have to go through, seeing the L39ion guy [Justin Williams] always in the back. I made it through but I was always aware that I had a good sprint. You can watch your competitors how they accelerate out of the corners and in those previous laps, I saw how they were accelerating, ‘ok, I got this one. I’m pretty sure I’m faster than this one,’ and so in the end, we had I think six or seven guys. I was pretty sure I could make it, no matter what position I was in the last corner. I think I was 5th, and then I just fired it up. It was fine; I had 2 gears left. Not to say anything against the Armed Forces Cycling Classic, but of course Tulsa Tough is one of our big targets. This was just the cherry, the cake comes next week in Tulsa. We are highly motivated.
Jonas – It was amazing, we weren’t getting much information from the front but we knew Andy is the most experienced guy on our team. He was so confident yesterday, we’re just so happy that he made it. We just wanted to put every piece of power into this race, so I am so happy.
Alec Cowan – Unfortunatley, I took a crash in the first corner with 30 laps to go, I think I slipped on something. I had been taking that corner super well but I think I just slipped out and it wasn’t my finest moment. I just caught myself sliding and caught the fence. I got a bunch of road rash, but nothing broken, the bike is a little beat up. I couldn’t shift anymore, so I was stuck in the 13th gear, in this massive gear. You can only do so much with that.
I think it’s good. Our goal was just to get prepared for next week and next weekend is the biggest weekend for our team. We have a lot of positives we can take away from this weekend, and learn. This wasn’t our main goal, so anything we won here was just bonus. Going into next weekend should be great.
Evan McQuirk – I tried to stay active early in the race and tried to get up the road as much as possible to take the pressure off of our sprinters. We had Dusan in second place coming out of the Crystal City Cup yesterday. Being up the road takes some pressure off of him. Only about half of the guys were working in the break, just decided to try and get up the road. It would have been ideal if I had one other rider come with me but still a great effort. I tried to see how long I could stay away, it ended up getting reelled back. I ended up giving it all I could. Considering the caliber of riders that were in that breakaway, there was a lot of horsepower. The time I decided to attack came at a time when everyone was just looking around at each other. I was able to get a gap fairly quickly. Hat’s off to the rest of the guys, they rode phenomenally. We will be at Tulsa Tough, we’re looking forward to seeing everyone out there.
Danny Summerhill – I definitely thought I had that. I made a little blunder in that final sprint, kind of like my teammate from last year Alfredo Rodriguez did at Sunny King the other day. I think I probably thought that I had won and stopped pedaling maybe a meter or two, too early and just got passed on the right. I can’t complain, it was a hell of a weekend and my first time doing Armed Forces. A couple of podiums, not a win, but it’s alright.
I’m very fortunate, I have some family health issues, my dad has Alzheimer’s and he lives with me. To be able to train enough to be a contender in these races and to podium and be able to fight for the win is pretty special. A nice way to honor him absolutely. I think that was always a question mark whether or not I would be able to keep doing both. At say at least up until this point this year, it’s been working out okay so far.
Sebastian and I obviously worked our way into the breakaway. Without a team meating, that would always be the plan. Trying to stack the break, we managed to do that. I think the break happened earlier than I was anticiplating from everything I had heard and seen from previous years. I knew I needed to be attentive, Sebastian kenw the same thing. He played the ultimate teammate role. HE probably could have beat me in that sprint too. He helped lead me out, which was quite a bummer not to be able to finish it off for him and all his hard work. It was great to have him in the break and to have two of us instead of one.
• Mejias Dominates Armed Forces Cycling Classic, Taking the Clarendon Cup Victory
Virginia BlueRidge Twenty24 Marlies Mejias bolted to the line to earn a second consecutive victory at the Clarendon Cup, winning the overall omnium. Twenty24 has been completely dialed in since the start of the season, continuing their winning streak into the next block of summer racing for the team. Mejias had launched her sprint coming out of the streamline of her teammate, Emily Ehrlich in a six-rider breakaway fighting to the line. It would be a repeat of Saturday’s podium with L39ion of Las Angeles Kendall Ryan in second and DNA Pro Cycling’s Sara Van Dam in third.
“This is not my victory alone, it belongs to the team after the incredible work they did,” Mejias said. “I really believe we have the best team in the world – Emily [Ehrlich], Jennifer [Valente], Sofia [Arreola] – all of them did incredible work. I am so grateful for them and to win this race.”
This season has been a whirlwind for the Cuban sprinter, notching wins at nearly every race she has competed in, starting with the first stage race at the Redlands Bicycle Classic. It is a family affair, traveling with her young daughter right beside her throughout.
“These last two years have been tough, coming back from having my baby but it was a big motivation for me to return,” Mejias added. “I worked hard to get here, but it’s been amazing. I want to tell all the mom’s out there – come back to cycling!”
The team continued where they left off in Crystal City on Saturday. They came in with a plan to have decoys for their rivals to chase before setting up Mejias for the win. About midway into the 50-lap, 1km circuit, Emily Ehrlich attacked. The time trial specialist made her escape, maintaining roughly a 10-second gap for nearly 20 laps before being reeled back in. Ehrlich would earn the most heroic jersey at the end of the day.
The other riders in the break included Natalie Quinn of CCB Alpine Racing, Sarah Van Dam of BlueHalo – DNA Pro Cycling, Twenty24’s Jennifer Valente, and L39ion of Los Angeles Kendall Ryan. Both Van Dam and Ryan were isolated without any team members to help them, making it that much harder to fight off the trio of Twenty24 rivals alongside them.
“It was hard to race and be competitive in a smaller group, we had 3 riders,” Ryan said. “Everyone was racing so hard today, it was strung out literally the entire race. There were really strong riders from the other teams, that’s how I would have liked to race if I had a full squad; kudos to them for keeping the gas on the whole time.
“In the end we were just gambling, trying to see who would chase it back so I could get across the gap. I was waiting for the right moment if I could time it and get to the front group. I launched across, trying to breathe and gather myself to get ready for the finish. It was a really fun race, I’m just happy to see how hard everyone is racing.”
BlueHalo-DNA left wanting more, after finishing in third once again.
“Twenty24 was super strong,” Harriett Owen said, Van Dam’s teammate. “We unfortunately missed Emily [Ehrlich] going. Chasing the whole race was super hard, but we were all in for Sarah [Van Dam] today. I think she did a good job. We’re going to get the win eventually. We’re going to take the positives out of the weekend, and get ready to go for Tulsa [Tough].”
The omnium podium was the same as well, with Ryan in second and Van Dam in third, to wrap the 25th edition of the Armed Forces Cycling Classic.
Rider Quotes
Marlies Mejias – This is not my victory alone, it belongs to the team after the incredible work they did – Emily [Ehrlich], Jennifer [Valente], Sofia [Arreola] – all of them did incredible work. I really believe we have the best team in the world. I am so grateful for them and to win this race. I’m always nervous before a race, sometimes that’s a good thing.
Sarah Van Dam – It’s a new course for me, but I’m excited for it. It was pretty aggressive coming into that last corner yesterday, we lost a wheel and had a gap open. It was a bit disappointing to not be sprinting for the win yesterday but we’ll try and be there today. Today is more suited for a break, people can out of sight way faster.
Harriett Owen – It was absolutely pinned the whole, 2024 was super strong. We unfortunately missed Emily going, Chasing the whole race was super hard, but we were all in for Sarah today. I think she did a good job. We’re going to get the win eventually. We’re going to take the positives out of the weekend, and ready to go for Tulsa.
Emily Ehrlich – It felt so good giving back to the team. When you’re working for your team like that and you have a teammate right behind you, you find a new pair of legs. I raced this course 3 other times, this is the kind of racing I got into when I started.
Jennifer Valente – I was on the front quite a bit leading into the end, and then Emily and Marlies finished it off so it worked off great. We have a pretty strong team, working pretty well together. With our advantage we’re able to play a couple of different cards. Today, we showed that we were able to make the race pretty hard.
Marlies Mejias – This is not my victory alone, it belongs to the team after the incredible work they did – Emily [Ehrlich], Jennifer [Valente], Sofia [Arreola] – all of them did incredible work. I really believe we have the best team in the world. I am so grateful for them and to win this race. I’m always nervous before a race, sometimes that’s a good thing. These last two years have been tough, coming back from having my baby but it was a big motivation for me to return to cycling. I worked hard to get here, but it’s been amazing. I want to tell all the mom’s out there – come back to cycling!
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