AEVOLO RIDERS TOBY KLEIN & BROOKS WIENKE REPRESENT TEAM USA AT MARYLAND CYCLING CLASSIC 

Maryland Cycling Classic was a banner day for Aevolo Cycling riders past and present. Aevolo Alumni Scott McGill, Riley Sheehan & Tyler Stites placed 7th, 9th & 14th respectively with Cade Bickmore contributing magnificently to the effort.

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For current Aevolo riders Toby Klein and Brooks Wienke, representing Team USA in support of Tour de France star Matteo Jorgenson, it was one of the biggest days of the year. Hear what they had to say about the race:

Toby Klein: "Starting with our pre race plan, the goal was to set up our obvious leader Matteo to be In position when the main WT teams launched their attacks. Other than that we were given the freedom to race aggressively and make our own opportunities. Thankfully I had quite a good knowledge of the course being a local and I rode quite effectively in the bunch, saving legs and managing the 93 degree average heat. At the base of the 2nd KOM I made a positioning error that caught behind a team car and 3 motors who were blocking the entire road, causing around 20-30 riders to be completely separated from the peloton right before EF made their move up the climb. This threw me into recovery mode as I sprinted to catch the furthest group I could. From there I made my way from group to group before being in the main chasing group of around 40 riders. Entering the circuits the heat grew to a gnarly 101ish average on the tarmac. At this point the race was dictated by how well you conserved and dealt with the heat, and having done a good job I was able to sneak away from the peloton with 6 other riders to score a top 30 result on the day. I always am shooting for that flashy result, but nonetheless this race left me satisfied with my season and hungry for more high level racing".

Brooks Wienke: "Maryland Cycling Classic was tough, the heat definitely played a big part in how the day shook out. From the gun, I worked to keep things covered and keep Matteo in good position. The first 30 minutes of the race were very fast. Once a break went, things chilled out a bit and we focused on fueling and hydrating for the rest of the day. I went back to feed for the team before the 2nd KOM, and when I returned to the peloton before the base of the climb, EF began to light it up. This caught me on the back foot and I ended up getting separated along with a few other guys who had complications behind a moto. There was a hard chase over the top of the climb, but with EF pushing hard in front of the peloton, there was not much ground to be made. The heat caught up to me soon after. We rode back to Baltimore as quickly as we could in the grupetto, but we were stopped at the entry to the final circuits. This race was a great opportunity and learning experience being able to ride alongside Matteo. I feel very confident in how I was riding and positioning at the beginning of the race amongst the most competitive field I’ve ever been a part of. The unsatisfying finish of my race has only left me with a fire that will burn through the off-season and keep me focused on the work I need to put in for next season. I’m really grateful to have had this opportunity and for all of USAC’s support!"

Images by Susan Wienke