Marlies Mejía Garcia (Twenty24) wins stage 1 of the 2023 Redlands BIcycle Classic(Image credit: Snowy Mountain Photography)
At the Highland Circuit on stage 1, Fount Cycling Guild was active all day(Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)
L39ION of LA debuted new kits at Redlands Bicycle Classic 2023(Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)
The women's field held together for the first half of stage 1(Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)
Emily Marcolini (Roxo Racing) one of the pre-race favorites was aggressive early on in the race, but crashed and fell out of GC contention(Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)
A large group made it to the bell lap in the women's race on the first day(Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)
Marcela Elizabeth Prieto (Patobikes) is congratulated by teammates after finishing 3rd on the stage(Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)
Women's stage 1 podium (L to R): second place Alia Shafi (Fount Cycling), winner Marlies Mejías Garcia (Virginia's Blue Ridge-Twenty24) and third place Marcela Prieto (Patobike)(Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)
Marlies Mejías Garcia (Virginia's Blue Ridge-Twenty24) claimed the opening stage of the 2023 Redlands Bicycle Classic in the City of Highland Circuit race.
The Cuban out-paced Alia Shafi (Fount Cycling) and Marcela Prieto (Pato Bike) in the uphill sprint of the 41.3-mile race. Skylar Schneider (L39ION of Los Angeles) was fourth on the stage, making her Redlands debut.
The victory gives Mejías Garcia the first leader's jersey of the race, while her teammate Kathleen Abadie earned the first QOM jersey.
“We actually have a lot of cards to play. Today Mejias was feeling good," said Nicola Cranmer, team director for Virginia's Blue Ridge-Twenty24, after the finish. "After the win, you may have seen her, she was sobbing for quite a few minutes…she puts a lot of pressure on herself but always pulls out a result. The team rode great, we’re really happy to be back at Redlands."
After the first four laps and 10 remaining, ROXO Racing's Emily Marcolini moved to the front on the Baseline climb with dramatic speed and split the field into several groups, with 15 riders at the front of the race.
With a few laps remaining, a touch of wheels sent several riders to the ground, including Marcolini, which caused her to lose contact at the front and hopes of a third-place finish like 2022 fade away as she finished five minutes off the winning pace.
“I was really nervous coming into it but I’m starting to settle in and everything was going well,” Marcolini said. “This happened [crash], but that’s part of bike racing. We’ll evaluate our situation coming into tomorrow and formulate a plan. I just love Oak Glen. We’ll have to see how I feel tomorrow but hopefully I can have a good one tomorrow.”
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Stage 2 is the 61.8-mile City of Yucaipa Road Race. The women start at 11:10 a.m. local time with four laps of a 14.1-mile circuit, then hit the 5.4-mile finish leg with an uphill finish at Oak Glen Village.
Laura Weislo is a Cyclingnews veteran of 20 years. Having joined in 2006, Laura extensively covered the Operacion Puerto doping scandal, the years-long conflict between the UCI and the Tour de France organisers ASO over the creation of the WorldTour, and the downfall of Lance Armstrong and his lifetime ban for doping. As Managing Editor, Laura coordinates coverage for North American events and global news.
