MOUNTAIN BIKE
Absa Cape Epic: South Africa
(March 19-26) – American Christopher Blevins and South African teammate Matt Beers (Toyota-Specialized-NinetyOne) won the Absa Cape Epic overall title. The eight-day, team format mountain bike stage race takes place annually in South Africa’s Western Cape. Last year the duo placed 3rd.
The two won the opening prologue but a rough stage 1 dropped them into 8th place. They went on to win four of the next five stages to make their way back up in the overall standings.
Blevins and Beers went into the final stage just 90 seconds behind the race leaders. They attacked early, kept the pressure on, and made up the deficit to win the overall title. It was Beers’ second win at Cape Epic and a first for Blevins.
Complete results here
National Downhill Series: Oak Ridge, Tennessee
(March 23-26) – Dakotah Norton (Intense Factory Racing) and Kailey Skelton (KHS Factory Racing) won the opening round of the USA Cycling National Downhill Series, held at Windrock Bike Park in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The three-round series concludes in September, when a series champion will be crowned.
In the men’s elite race, Norton, the two-time national downhill champion, was followed by Aaron Gwin (Intense Factory Racing) and Luca Shaw (Canyon Cllctv).
On the women’s side, fellow two-time national downhill champion Skelton was followed by Norway’s Frida Rønning (Union) and Canada’s Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Factory).
Next up is round two on May 25-28 at Mountain Creek in Vernon, NJ.
Complete results here
ROAD
Milano-San Remo: Italy
(March 18) – Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost) placed 7th at Milano-Sanremo, the first Monument of the season and the longest one-day race on the men’s pro calendar at 294 kilometers. It was his 5th top-10 result of the season, including two victories.
Complete results here
Classic Brugge-De Panne: Belgium
(March 23) – Megan Jastrab (Team DSM) took 4th in the women’s edition of this one-day, 173 kilometer classic. Jastrab got in the final breakaway with her teammate and worked hard in the crosswinds to push the group until British rider Pfeiffer Georgi (Team DSM) sprinted for the victory.
Complete results here
Women’s World Tour: Gent-Wevelgem: Flanders, Belgium
(March 26) – Megan Jastrab (Team DSM) sprinted to her first ever World Tour podium placing 2ndat Gent-Wevelgem, the Belgian classic. The race continued a successful week on the cobbles for the 21-year-old, who helped her Team DSM teammate to a win three days earlier. “I’m not the fastest sprinter out there but after a hard race, I was going all in to get the team a podium,” she said afterwards.
Complete results here
E3 Saxo Classic: Harelbeke, Belgium
(March 24) – Matteo Jorgenson (Movistar) broke away from a small chase group with 2km to go and captured 4th at E3-Saxo in Belgium. It was the best placing ever by an American at the cobbled and relentlessly hilly 204 kilometer race, a warmup for the Tour of Flanders. “I am super happy with fourth. That’s a huge result for me,” Jorgenson said afterward.
Complete results here
Coppi e Bartali: Italy
(March 21-25) – Sean Quinn (EF Education-EasyPost) won Stage 2 and placed 8th overall at Coppi e Bartali, a 5-stage road race in northern Italy. It was the 22-year-old’s first win of his pro career. “I’ve missed out on a few opportunities in the past, so it feels great to finally get that win,” Quinn said. He was also 3rd among the Young Riders classification and 6th in the points category.
Complete results here
Volta ao Alentejo: Portugal
(March 22-26) – Luke Lamperti (Trinity Racing) took first on Stage 1 and 4th on Stage 5 at Volta ao Alentejo, a five-stage race through Portugal. The two-time U.S. criterium national champ finished 4th in points and 7th overall among young riders.
Complete results here
TRACK
Tissot UCI Track Nations Cup: Cairo, Egypt
(March 14-17) – Olympic gold medalist Jennifer Valente took first in the Elimination race in Cairo, Egypt, at round two of the three-round Track Nations Cup series. She also placed 4th in the Omnium.
Team USA returns for the final Nations Cup race of the year in Milton, Canada on April 20th.
Complete results here
Photo courtesy of Absa Cape Epic
