When former professional road cyclist Eric Hill had a chance to establish his own bike racing team back in 2016, it had to have a mission bigger than himself. The Waukesha, Wisconsin-based Hill had friends and family members in the military and knew how tough life can be for returning vets.
So he founded Project Echelon, an organization that helps veterans, along with Project Echelon Racing Team, a group of North American pros who partner with a variety of veteran organizations.
“Our goal is to donate about 22 percent of sponsorship dollars to veteran programs,” Hill says. “We use our platform not simply to advance our own dreams and aspirations, but also to empower others.”
The team has grown from the best in the Midwest to the top domestic team in North America, winning this year’s Tour of the Gila. They’re also a UCI Continental Professional Team, earning invitations around the globe to battle it out with big-budget World Tour teams. “It’s a dog fight to get into those events,” says Hill. “Teams at our level have to be very scrappy and agile.”
The team will be lining up with nine riders at Pro Road Nationals, while another six will be at Tour of Norway. Last year, Project Echelon swept the top three criterium spots (they’re looking for Stephen Bassett to repeat that win), but they want even more. “We’ve been second in time trial three times and second in road race three times, so the only thing left to do is win,” Hill says.
Pan Am track champion Brendan Rhim will target the time trial and criterium; Scott McGill wants to improve on last year’s fourth place road finish; Troy Fields is looking to win the U23 time trial; 2025 Tour of the Gila winner Kieran Haug wants the road race win; Hugo Scala, Jr. will target time trial; youngster Caleb Classen will target all three events; while Sam Boardman will provide team leadership and Ricky Arnopol killer road climbing skills.
Retired Army Staff Sgt Mike Murphy, a two-time para gravel National Champion, is also aiming for a road win. This year marks the first time Para-cyclists will participate at Pro Road Nationals, and Murphy will compete with his tandem pilot Joseph Matta. Based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Murphy’s a visually impaired athlete who lost most of his sight during a training accident while serving in Volos, Greece, back in 2018.
“I loved every moment of the Army, and after the injury I went into a pretty dark depression,” he admits. Then Murphy heard about the Warrior Games and became involved in adaptive sport, competing in cycling, swimming and track. He did the Invictus Games in 2022 – the military version of the Paralympics, and “it was a game-changer,” Murphy says. “The Warrior Games and adaptive sports, primarily cycling, gives me that purpose again.”
Murphy began his adaptive sports career in Colorado and in June 2021, through the Fort Carson Recovery Unit, did Ride the Rockies, a six-day challenge with 28,000 feet of climbing.
“Jumping on my bike and climbing mountain passes, working with my pilot and getting to the top, then flying down at 60-plus miles an hour, was phenomenal,” says Murphy, who’d ridden those same passes before losing his sight.
Murphy’s main sponsor is VeloFlö Projekt, along with Team Semper Fi and America’s Fund, Project Echelon, and Fat Tire Cycles in Albuquerque. At nationals, he and Matta will compete in the 60km road race and 30km time trial. Their ultimate goal: making the national team and going to the LA 2028 Paralympics.
“I can’t drive or ride a motorcycle anymore so the joy of being able to do this – I’ve loved every minute of it,” Murphy says.
The 2025 USA Cycling Pro Road National Championships will take place May 19-26 on the roads of downtown Charleston. For more information, visit https://roadnats.usacycling.org/pro-road.
Gear up for your own Road to Nationals and find out if you’re eligible to compete in one or more of this year’s National Championships!
HOVERAir, the official flying camera of USA Cycling, will be onsite at Pro Road Nationals in Charleston, WV, from May 22–26 with live product demos, giveaways, and more.
Visit the HOVERAir tent in the expo area to check out the latest in hands-free, compact drone tech.
USA Cycling Members: Show a screenshot of your race license at the HOVERAir booth and get 10% off your purchase.
