Justin Williams headlines new Red Bull Roundabout Rumble one-day race this spring in Indianapolis

A new Red Bull Roundabout Rumble criterium will be held in Indianapolis, Indiana on April 5, with Justin Williams (L39ION of Los Angeles) leading the charge as a Red Bull athlete in the men's pro division.

Junior, masters and open divisions will compete from 1:00 p.m. local time to 6:30 p.m. on the same course that will feature a Women's Pro division for a 40-lap race at 6:45 p.m., followed by the 48-lap Men's Pro race at 8:00 p.m. Fields in the pro races are invitation-only with a $20,000 prize purse split evenly between the two divisions.

"I’m eager to see some of the top pros from around the world tackle the course, but I’m more excited to witness the local riders shine in the amateur classes. It is intriguing to see the caliber of talent the city where high speed is a way of life will bring," Williams said in a Red Bull statement.

Organisers have not confirmed a start list for the pro races at this time, but other L39ION riders are expected to join Justin Williams in the event. Amateur racers will be required to register for $60 at redbull.com/roundaboutrumble prior to April 3.

Indianapolis’ iconic Monument Circle serves as the centerpiece of the criterium course, with a brick-paved roundabout circling the city's Soldiers and Sailors Monument. A long straightway on Meridian Street will be ridden in an out-and-back pattern with one tight U-turn at the end of three blocks.

Shasta Gravel Hugger postponed

The Shasta Gravel Hugger will not take place on March 8 as planned, but will be postponed until a new date can be confirmed for 2026. Race founder and organiser Ben Brainard told Cyclingnews that "personal reasons and a work-related conflict" played a role in his decision to cancel the early-season Oregon one-day gravel ride. 

All registered participants had been notified, according to Brainard, with approximately 99% confirmed to receive a full refund or defer registration to the Grizzly Gravel Hugger on June 21, 2025. This new event, also organised by Brainard, will be held near Ashland, Oregon and on the back side of Grizzly Peak in the Cascade mountains. The location is 40 miles north of where Shasta Gravel Hugger would have started in Montague, California.

"I feel the weather for the Shasta Gravel Hugger has been extremely challenging. We've had four terrible weather years, and last year being the very best. I'm going to move this race into April, and I think it's still going to be early enough of it being a nice day that it can be a spring Classic," Brainard said about his plans for next year.

The Shasta Gravel Hugger began in 2020. Last year Canadian Rob Britton won the men's open division while Bend-native Serena Gordon won the women's open division.

Routes for the Grizzly Gravel Hugger in June were not yet available.

Capitol Cup sets course in heart of Washington, DC

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After a 24-year absence of the one-day racing adjacent to the US Capitol in Washington, DC, organisers for the Amazon Armed Forces Cycling Classic confirmed a course to be used for the revitalised 2025 Capitol Cup on May 31. 

The 1.4km course will be located between the National Mall and the US Capitol building along 3rd Street SW, between Constitution Avenue NW and Independence Avenue SW. The start/finish line will be on 3rd Street across from Madison Drive NW, with the Capitol Reflecting Pool as a backdrop.

Saturday’s Capitol Cup schedule features Women’s Pro/1/2 and the Men’s Pro/1 Invitational races, with a combined prize purse of $17,000. Those fields will also participate Sunday for a two-day omnium format, races taking place in Arlington, Virginia for a 27th edition of the Clarendon Cup. 

The second day of racing at the Armed Forces Cycling Classic also offers a combined $17,000 prize purse. There is an additional $5,000 prize purse for the top 10 men and women in the pro omnium competition.

"I am quite excited to be bringing a race of this caliber back into DC," said Robert Laybourn, president of Arlington Sports which organises Amazon Armed Forces Cycling Classic. 

"I last promoted a race in DC back in 2001, when we hosted the Capital Cup, [now Capitol Cup - Ed.] and because of the extension of the Challenge Ride course into DC, it was only logical to host the race to follow at the same location."

A non-competitive Challenge Ride will take place from 7-10 a.m. ET on Saturday, allowing up to 3,000 participants to ride laps on a 13-mile (21km) circuit. There is a military discount for the Challenge Ride.

Registration opens March 1 for the women's Pro/1/2 races, as well as amateur divisions, for the Armed Forces Cycling Classic. Organisers will extend invitations to men's teams, beginning March 1, for entries in the Pro/Am category. 

Garage Racing National Championships attract large audience

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"Concrete, chaos and championship glory" described the popular, yet unofficial, Garage Racing National Championships on February 22. Garage racing began in the Washington, D.C. area as a weekly series in an enclosed parking deck in Crystal City, Virginia, inspired by short cyclocross courses marked with tape.

CXHairs Media owner Bill Schieken, who also talks all-things gravel with Amanda Nauman on Groadio, encouraged the popular after-work competitions and rebranded the races in 2019 as the Garage Racing National Championships. After a three-year hiatus, the Championships returned in 2023.

Winners are bathed with applause and win a slice of baked pie, not hardware or prize money. It's all for fun, with 150 racers part of crowds estimated to exceed 800 this year. Race categories included juniors, novices, fixed gear, non-binary and a team relay. The event culminated with the Anything Goes Race, where any non-motorised vehicle can be used and costumes are encouraged. 

The event is presented by CXHAIRS and the National Landing Business Development Improvement District, an urban centre in Arlington, Virginia with support from JBG Smith, which owns and operates mixed-use properties around the Washington, D.C. area. 

“The annual Garage Racing National Championships provide an unconventional and creative opportunity to celebrate just how ingrained cycling is in our neighborhood’s transportation ecosystem,” said Brandon Taff, senior vice president at JBG SMITH. “Full of fun and with a healthy amount of competition, this free community event has something for everyone to enjoy."