World-class women’s cycling to return to U.S. for the first time since 2019 at Maryland Cycling Classic debut event

The Maryland Cycling Classic, America’s newest and highest-ranked professional women’s road race, has announced the first eight teams set to compete in its debut event this September. With powerhouse teams like CANYON//SRAM Zondacrypto and EF Education–Oatly present, this marks the first opportunity for American fans to witness this calibre of women’s racing since the Amgen Tour of California in 2019.

“With many of our team partners having either headquarters or a strong presence in the U.S., it's exciting for us to finally bring our team back for the UCI 1.1 Maryland Cycling Classic. We look forward to showcasing our racing style and connecting with the fans,” said Ronny Lauke, CEO and Team Manager of CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto.

CANYON//SRAM is home to four-time Olympic medalist Chloé Dygert. At the Paris Olympics last summer, she earned a bronze medal in the individual time trial and took home gold in the women’s team pursuit on the track, alongside Kristen Faulkner. Faulkner rides for EF Education–Oatly and is also the reigning Olympic road race champion. While individual rider rosters have yet to be announced, fans will no doubt be eager to see these American cycling stars compete on home soil.

Rounding out the initial roster are American continental teams Cynisca and Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY24, along with U.S. and Canadian domestic teams CCB, L39ION of Los Angeles, Cyclery Racing Team, and a Team USA composite squad. For domestic elite riders, the Maryland Cycling Classic offers a rare chance to compete against, and be seen by, some of the world’s top talent.

“I am thrilled to finally feature a women’s race at the Maryland Cycling Classic. We have worked from the beginning to make this a reality, and this year’s quality field of riders will produce incredible racing,” said John Kelly, the Chairman of the Maryland Cycling Classic.

“Many American women are being featured in races around the world, and it will be great to see these world-class athletes and their teams compete in the United States.”

The Baltimore-based event debuted in 2022 with the goal of bringing world-class competition back to U.S. soil and reigniting American cycling fandom.

The first two editions featured only a men’s race, with Sep Vanmarcke (Israel–Premier Tech) and Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl–Trek) claiming top honours. The race was cancelled in 2024 following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Now, the 2025 edition aims to be its most ambitious yet with the addition of the women’s event, and a new race date aligned with the Canadian men’s WorldTour events to make the transatlantic trip more attractive for European teams.

Scheduled for September 6, both the men’s and women’s races will take place on the same day and follow similar courses, showcasing Baltimore’s rolling terrain and finishing on a fast circuit around the city’s Inner Harbor. The men’s roster was announced last month with WorldTour teams Lidl–Trek, EF Education–EasyPost, and Team Jayco–AlUla headlining the roster. The full course details and race week schedule will be released in June.