Our team officially kicked off the 2026 race season this past weekend in Phoenix, Arizona at the Valley of the Sun Stage Race. Ten of our Junior Men lined up against a field of more than 100 of the strongest riders from across the UnitedStates for what proved to be a competitive and encouraging start to the year.
With three stages on the schedule, an Individual Time Trial, Road Race, and Criterium, the weekend offered a full test of early-season form for the entire squad.
The opening stage saw strong performances throughout the team, highlighted by an outstanding ride from second-year junior Mitch Williams. Mitch powered his way to 2nd place on the stage, immediately placing himself in contention for the General Classification heading into the road stages.
Aubrey also delivered a solid ride, finishing just outside the top ten in 12th position.
Stage1 Results (117 Riders) - 🥈Mitch Williams – 2nd, Aubrey– 12th
Stage2 brought the longest and most tactical racing of the weekend. The team rodec ohesively through aggressive pacing and mid-race incidents, including Amos being caught behind a crash during the race.
Mitch continued his strong form, finishing 4th in the bunch sprint, a result that moved him into 2nd place overall on GC heading into the final stage.
Stage2 Results (110 Riders) - Mitch Williams – 4th, Cor – 16th, Luke – 21st
The final stage was fast and punchy from the outset, with constant attacks and multiple breakaway attempts shaping the race early on.
Unfortunately,Mitch was caught up in a mid-race crash. Thankfully he was okay, but was unable to continue. Cor was also involved in a separate incident later in the race.
As the race settled, a late three-man move managed to stay clear of the field, setting up a bunch sprint behind. Jack Purdy stepped up with a huge ride, winning the bunch sprint to take 4th place on the stage along with a few primes.
With consistent riding across the weekend, Aubrey moved up to 11th Overall on GC following Stage 3.
Stage3 Results - Jack Purdy – 4th, Amos – 12th, Adam – 24th
DNF – Mitch, Cor, Noam
FullResults - VOS Stage Race
Valley of the Sun marked a strong start to the 2026 campaign. With a stage podium in the Time Trial, a GC podium position heading into the final day, and valuable race experience across the entire roster, the weekend provided a solid foundation to build on as the season progresses.
Every athlete contributed, and valuable lessons were learned across the board. It was a strong way to open the season and set the tone for what’s ahead.
Behind every race result are countless hours of training, travel, preparation, and commitment.Thank you to our supporters, your help makes these opportunities possible for our athletes and allows them to continue developing at the national and international level. Supporting PNW Racing is not just a donation, it’s an investment in young Canadian cyclists.
A special thank you to Steph and Tim for their continued support and guidance throughout the weekend.
We’re looking forward to carrying this momentum into the next block of racing.
PNW Racing
Aspire | Train | Achieve
