81st Tour of Somerville: Mejias and Bourgoyne Repeat in Somerville
81st Edition of the Tour of Somerville makes history with back-to-back winners in both the women’s and men’s pro races.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 25, 2026
In its 81st edition, the Tour of Somerville once again proved why the historic race remains one of the most sought-after wins to criterium racers around the world. Deep fields in both the Pro Women’s and Pro Men’s races featured National Champions, Olympians, and many of the strongest criterium teams in North America. Aggressive racing and primes kept both races animated from the opening laps, but despite repeated attempts to force selections and establish breakaways, Somerville’s fast and wide circuit once again favored patience and positioning. In the end, both races returned to a familiar Main Street script, high-speed field sprints where timing, teamwork, and lead-outs ultimately decided the winners. This year it would be two familiar faces both taking back-to-back wins with Marlies Mejias Garcia (Team Twenty28 Pro cycling) and Lucas Bourgoyne (Team Cadence Cyclery) executing their sprints to perfection.
Mildred Kugler Pro Women’s Race Report 2026
After an aggressive day of racing in Easton which saw them just miss out on the podium, HigherDOSE | Renova wasted no time bringing the pressure to Somerville, attacking as early into the race in an attempt to animate the field. But Somerville has long had a reputation for resisting breakaways, and despite the early aggression, the field remained largely content to keep things together. Caldera Medical x AUrea Racing claimed the opening prime of the race as teams settled into a fast but controlled rhythm.
The only move of the day to gain meaningful separation came with 20 laps remaining as Emily Singleton of Automatic Racing and Dannielle Watkinson of Star Track managed to open a small gap of several seconds. Rather than panic, the field appeared comfortable letting the move dangle briefly before gradually bringing it back. With the field back together Automatic Racing, Caldera Medical x Aureal, and HigherDOSE | Renova continued trading attacks and taking turns testing the front of the race.
As the laps counted down, the peloton increasingly accepted the race’s likely outcome. Laurel Rathbun of Caldera Medical x Aurea snagged a late prime and then later added the gambler’s prime to continue an aggressive ride. With one lap to go, each team worked to position their sprinters. Fearless Femme Racing would lead into the final corner, but with such a long finish straight, the timing was a little too early, which allowed Mejias the perfect launch pad to unleash her sprint with Skyler Schnieder of L39ION of Los Angeles and Odette Lynch of Higher Dose | Renova rounding out the podium.
Mildred Kugler Pro Women Results
- Marlies Mejies Garcia (Virgina’s Blue Ridge Twenty28)
- Skylar Schneider (L39ION of Los Angeles)
- Odette Lynch (HigherDOSE | Renova)
Kugler-Anderson Memorial Pro Men’s Race Report 2026
The race was animated from the start, with a flurry of activity from many teams and individuals. Whoosh – NZ Cycling Project arrived with clear intentions, driving the pace from the opening laps and repeatedly searching for opportunities to split the race apart. 2022 race winner George Jackson collected an early prime as the New Zealand squad animated the front along with three other teammates collecting primes, but despite their repeated attacks and pressure, meaningful separation remained difficult to establish. They would go on to claim 5 primes for their efforts in Somerville.
Several promising moves developed throughout the race, including combinations involving NZ Cycling Project and Good Guys Racing, Foundation Cycling, Parks Law Firm, and Kelly Benefits, but each attempt was quickly reeled back in. By the midway point, the field remained remarkably intact despite several teams’ continued efforts to force a breakaway.
The complexion of the race changed dramatically with a cascade of crashes from laps 11 to 7, the last of which occurred at the front of the field and took down several key sprinters and leadout riders, splitting the race and leaving many teams without their usual support entering the finale.
Late-race primes continued to animate the final laps, with Luke Fetzer of Cadence Cyclery claiming the $1,200 gambler’s prime heading as he strung out the field in service of his teammate Lucas Bourgoyne, the rest of the team would continue to control the race into the final two corners with Bourgoyne perfectly timing his sprint ahead of Alejandro Che of Kelly Benefits in second and Justin Williams of L39ION of Los Angeles in third.
Kugler-Anderson Memorial Pro Men results
- Lucas Bourgoyne (Team Cadence pb Waldo Racing)
- Alejandro Che (Kelly Benefits Cycling)
- Justin Williams (L39ION of Los Angeles)