Nationals Recap

+SPEEDCLUB MEDIA
The US Pro Nationals, held earlier than usual this year, showcased an intense week of racing in the quaint and picturesque town of Charleston, West Virginia. For the first time ever, NICH +SpeedClub would be represented as MGR took on all three disciplines: the Time Trial, Criterium, and Road Race, delivering exceptional performances throughout the event.

The series kicked off on Wednesday with the Time Trial. Michael, clad in a special stealth edition Cuore skinsuit that arrived just the day before (thank you Scott and Alex!), was eager to race. This new suit, featuring top-secret aero fabric and a cutting-edge design, had Michael ready to fly. 

Starting early, he set a blistering lead time that held strong for “almost” the entire day. As each rider finished, it became clear that Michael’s time was formidable. However, with the top World Tour riders in the final wave, the competition was expected to be fierce. To add to the challenge, rain began to pour. The stakes were high, with an automatic berth to the Olympics on the line. In the end, McNulty and World Tour peers managed to edge out Michael, pushing him to a fifth-place finish. While initially disappointing, this result fueled our motivation to refine our time trial technology for 2025.  Stay tuned.  

The Criterium was dominated by America’s top Continental team, with Project Echelon’s disciplined squad controlling the front for the entire 90 minutes. Despite heavy rain and a parade-like atmosphere that left many spectators questioning the race's excitement, Michael made several attempts to break free and animate the race. He even endured a crash in his efforts to move past the formidable front-line Echelon. Although he escaped a few times and displayed remarkable tenacity, he couldn’t get a gap to stick.  Completely gassed by the end and a crash-marred last lap led to an Echelon sweep of the podium.

 Sunday’s road race was arguably one of the toughest in the history of US Nationals. The race started at a blistering pace, with almost 80 riders dropping out within the opening laps of the 10-lap race. By lap three, only 35 riders remained, with nearly 90 miles still to go. 

 As temperatures soared, the attrition rate climbed, and even Michael, despite his relentless efforts, eventually fell back from the lead group of 12. He found himself alongside Lawson Craddock and last year’s runner-up, Tyler Williams. The trio shared some jokes and ultimately decided to call it a day, opting for a few well-deserved cold beverages instead.

 Cheers to a week of relentless effort, camaraderie, and the spirit of competition. We’re already looking forward to next year!

MGR CORNER

Hey everyone! 

I’m really happy with the week in Charleston. 

5th place in TT champs, behind 4 really good bike racers. I’m happy with that, really happy with that. 

A younger me wouldn’t have let myself enjoy this result. I spent so much of my time in this sport over-critiquing and chasing the never-ending road to perfection, never stopping to smell the roses.

We so easily focus on the things we do wrong; I started too hard, my position isn’t good enough, I should’ve done this or shouldn't have done that. We turn to negatives, wanting to put blame on ourselves for not being good enough for what is already a gold standard. 

This year was different. I changed and I grew.

The focus is forward. This year I get to focus on the mountain of work that allowed me to even arrive in a place to be chasing a podium against some of the best athletes in the world. 

It’s exhilarating to be in a place and surrounded by a team of people who support me through every single step of the journey. It’s weeks like this that I’m so thankful to have NICH, Apto Solutions, SnapCare, BMC, Cuore, Wahoo, Kask, Koo and Ceramic Speed standing behind me. As I continue through this sport one of my greatest goals is to teach others to truly appreciate themselves and the people that help you make it happen. 

I’m happy with the results in the crit and road race and really excited to be back in 2025. 

A weekend off now as we drop Winston Salem from the calendar for a bigger focus on the next races. I’ve been racing and traveling for six straight weeks now and need some time to regroup as the next one is a monster…the world’s biggest gravel race!

June 1 - Unbound Gravel 

June 7-9 Tulsa Tough

June 15- Marathon Mtb Nationals 

Happy Riding, 

MG.