High-speed cycling competition makes a comeback on American ground this Saturday at the Maryland Cycling Classic
The Maryland Cycling Classic, America's top-ranked professional road race, returns this weekend with an exciting lineup of international teams and riders.
The third edition of the event includes a new women's race and a calendar shift linking Maryland to the Canadian WorldTour one-day classics. This marks the long-awaited return of world-class women's road racing to the U.S. since the 2019 Amgen Tour of California.
The women's race will be headlined by international squads Canyon-SRAM, Ceratizit Pro Cycling, and EF Education-Oatly. Notable cyclists from Europe and North America will participate, including current and former national champions and Olympians. Among them is Tiffany Cromwell of Canyon-SRAM, a veteran WorldTour rider and an avid gravel racer who will likely provide valuable support to her teammates.
Lauren Stephens (Foundation Cycling) is always a contender, having won the US national gravel championship and the Tour de Bloom stage race this year. Heidi Franz (Cynisca) is another rider to watch, known for her bold attacks and well-timed flyers, and is hungry for a breakthrough performance. The Benin national team will make history by racing in a UCI event on U.S. soil for the first time in the women's race.
In the men's race, WorldTour teams like Lidl-Trek, EF Education-EasyPost, Team Jayco-AlUla, and Canyon-SRAM will participate, along with a strong contingent of domestic and South American squads. The men's peloton will consist of 112 riders from an international field. Notable riders include Mattias Skjelmose of Lidl-Trek, returning to defend his Maryland Cycling Classic win from 2023, and Neilson Powless of EF Education-EasyPost, who has twice ended up on the podium in Maryland and will be aiming for the top step in front of his home crowd.
Brandon McNulty will represent Team USA in the men's race, having won the Tour of Poland just last month. Quinn Simmons, also of Lidl-Trek, is a notable rider to watch, having been voted best domestique of the 2025 Tour de France. Alison Jackson of EF Education-Oatly, a former Paris-Roubaix champion and one of the most experienced riders in the women's peloton, is another rider to keep an eye on.
The course has gotten a makeover, featuring a technical circuit with 28 turns per lap, a cobbled sector, an intermediate sprint, a KOM climb, and Baltimore's most iconic landmarks. Both races will be streamed live on Outside TV and YouTube.
The women's race will start at 8:30 a.m. ET and the men's race will start at 12:30 p.m. ET. The women's field will tackle four laps, totalling 115.2 km (71.6 miles) and 1,732 meters (3,868 feet) of climbing. The men's peloton will complete six laps for a total of 172.8 km (107.4 miles) and 1,732 m (5,682 feet) of climbing. The race finishes with a long, flat, and fast drag down East Pratt Street in Baltimore's Inner Harbor.
Equal prize purses have been confirmed for the men's and women's events: a total of $25,000 in each race, with $10,000 awarded to the winners. The race within the race format will also return, featuring a sprinter's and a climber's classification, each with prize money on offer.
With an exciting course, top-tier teams, and a deep field of riders, the Maryland Cycling Classic promises to be an unforgettable event for both spectators and participants. Don't miss out on the action this weekend!
