UCI 2.2 Tour de Bloom Pro Women’s Summary
By Kimberly Chen
Stage 1 Waterville Road Race
The opening stage took place in Waterville on an open course known for its tough crosswinds. The women’s field started with 96 racers, making positioning in key points in the race, such as the QOM, extremely crucial. Emma was able to make her way to the top 5 wheels into the first QOM and all of our riders stayed comfortably within the bunch throughout the 90 km race. We supported each other by grabbing extra feeds and working together to close any gaps that formed. While some teams tried sending riders up the road, none stayed away successfully, and the race was going to end in a chaotic bunch sprint. The accelerations would start early, around the 1km-to-go sign, so it was a long way to go at almost top speed. Kimberly fought to position well for the final sprint, and in the end finished 12th place (2nd U23), and following in the pack was Brenna (32nd), Kathryn (49th), Cynthia (52nd), and Emma (73rd).
Stage 2 Twilight Criterium
The second stage was the crowd-favourite Twilight Criterium in downtown Wenatchee. The race was expected to be hard and fast from the gun, with Ace’s thousand-dollar 2nd-lap prime on the line. The women’s team’s focus was to position as far ahead as possible in the massive 95-person field, which proved to be quite difficult as the race was kept at the same high pace the entire 55 minutes, with little to no lulls. One of our goals headed into the race was for Kimberly to try to collect time bonuses for contention for the Best Young Rider’s jersey, and then at the end the team would try to set up for the sprint finish. While we were not able to achieve this goal, we had some good team moments where we would find each other’s wheels and try to protect each other as we moved up in the pack. The team held their own in the bunch finish and would safely continue onto the next stage. Kathryn 22nd, Kimberly 31st/8th U23, Brenna 50th, Cynthia 54th, and Emma 88th.
Stage 3 Plain Road Race
The Plain Road Race takes us on a beautiful rolling course in the forest, and would end on a punchy 6-minute climb for the finish. The women’s team had a strong presence in the pack, often all being in the front half of the peloton. The goal was to get as many of our riders as possible into the top wheels heading into the final climb. We were able to execute this plan well with all five of us finding each other in the final kilometers heading towards the base of the climb. Emma, Kimberly, and Cynthia were able to start the climb in the top 20 wheels and from there it would simply be an all-out effort for each of us. Cynthia would achieve the team’s top result in 21st, followed by Emma (47th), Kimberly (72nd/10th U23), Kathryn (82nd), and Brenna (87th).
Stage 4 Palisades Time Trial
A long 30 km time trial awaited us on day four of racing, with winds that were becoming stronger by the hour. Emma put out a massive effort and landed a top 25 result in the stacked field, Cynthia who rode merckx-style would finish 53rd, Kathryn and Brenna would finish 80th and 84th respectively, and Kimberly would finish 93rd, unfortunately outside of the time limit of 20% of the winner’s time.
Stage 5 Ed Farrar Memorial Road Race
The queen stage consisted of over 2,500 meters in elevation, almost half of which would be tackled in the final 25 km. On the first climb, the field split quickly and the top contenders would begin making time on the main peloton. Cynthia was able to ride closely with the 2nd group behind the leading break. The riders were spread pretty thin; Brenna, Emma, and Kathryn would find their own small groups of riders to conquer the remaining course with. The riders also had to deal with the heat on these long climbs; bottles and ice socks became crucial through the feed zone, where Kimberly would be supporting the women’s team from. Despite all the fatigue from the past four days of racing, our four riders persevered and finished this brutal stage, with Cynthia finishing 34th, Brenna 62nd, Emma 68th, and Kathryn 73rd. The final GC standings for the Pro Women: Cynthia 32nd, Brenna 60th, and Emma 65th. Total GC Finishers: 69.
Pro Men's Summary
By Orien Massey
Last week, the team traveled to Wenatchee, Washington, to compete in one of our favorite events on the calendar: Tour De Bloom. Coming off a strong Spring Series campaign, we entered the five-stage race in the heart of Washington’s apple country with high expectations and solid momentum.
Stage 1: Still Properties Waterville Road Race
**135 km | 1,350 m Elevation Gain **
The race began with challenging conditions, strong crosswinds, and rolling terrain defined the early kilometers. The peloton’s pace was aggressive from the start, completing the first 45 km lap in just 58 minutes. Cooper suffered a front flat at the 10 km mark, which forced him into a long and difficult chase. Despite the setback, the rest of the team remained well-positioned, aiming to support Tristan in a potential sprint finish. Unfortunately, a late-race crash took down Orien with 25 km to go. He showed impressive determination, finishing the stage with road rash and a neutral service bike. A late surge from a rival team brought back a 3-minute gap in the final 15 km, creating a decisive split. While we missed that final selection, Tristan won the group sprint, salvaging a strong result for the day.
Stage 2: Rookard Pools Twilight Downtown Criterium
**55 minutes **
The Twilight Crit proved chaotic from the outset, with the men’s race starting 30 minutes late. Our riders were alert and active in the early laps, covering threatening moves and maintaining good positioning. Midway through the race, a major crash involved half the field, including Marc, Owen, and Orien. The race was neutralized for 15 minutes before resuming. Just a few laps later, Cooper was forced into the curb on the back straight and suffered a heavy crash. Despite these challenges, the team remained composed. Kolby delivered an outstanding sprint, finishing second in a photo finish. An excellent result, particularly under the circumstances.
Stage 3: Arlberg Sports Plain Road Race
**120 km | 1,100 m Elevation Gain **
This scenic but demanding stage featured three laps along Lake Wenatchee, culminating in a steep 5-minute climb. After our strong performance in the criterium, team morale was high, and we were motivated to animate the race. The opening lap saw numerous breakaway attempts, with our riders consistently present. Eventually, a small group escaped without our representation, but the break was later reeled in. The race remained steady until the final 20 km, when the GC teams ramped up the pace ahead of the climb. All riders finished safely and showed resilience throughout the stage.
Stage 4: Builders First Source Individual Time Trial
30 km
The time trial featured strong tailwinds on the outbound leg and punishing headwinds on the return. Despite lingering injuries from earlier crashes, Cooper put in an exceptional effort, placing 12th in a competitive field, an impressive ride given the conditions and circumstances.
Stage 5: Biosports–Ed Farrar Queen Stage
90 km | 2,500 m Elevation Gain
The final and most challenging stage featured relentless climbing and intense competition. Cooper made the difficult but wise decision to sit out due to ongoing discomfort. The rest of the squad aimed to join an early break on the initial golf course circuits, but the GC contending teams kept the pace high and neutralized all attacks.
Ultimately, only Tristan and Owen finished within the time cut, rounding out a grueling day of racing.
We entered Tour De Bloom with ambitious goals and showed flashes of brilliance throughout the week, despite an unusual amount of bad luck with crashes and mechanicals. Kolby’s second-place finish in the criterium was a major highlight and a testament to the team’s determination. While the final results didn’t fully reflect the effort and preparation behind our campaign, the riders demonstrated grit, adaptability, and professionalism. We're proud of the way the team handled adversity and are already looking ahead to our next objectives. Tour De Bloom remains one of our favorite races, and we look forward to returning even stronger next year.