Tyler Williams of L39ION of Los Angeles secured the overall title at the 34th annual Valley of the Sun Stage Race in Arizona on Sunday, February 15, 2026, marking a triumphant return to the team after a two-year absence. The Phoenix-area race, which ran from February 13-15, awarded a $14,000 cash purse split evenly between the pro men and women.
Williams’ victory was punctuated by a stage win in the Silverhawk Private Wealth-Grand Canyon State Road Race, a 94-mile contest in Casa Grande, where he bested Alejandro Che of Kelly Benefits Cycling and Logan Unger of Speedblock p/b Terun in a bunch sprint. He finished the race in the same time as Cory Williams, who won the final stage criterium, and Justin Williams, who finished second in the criterium.
L39ION dominated the pro men’s division, claiming all three stage victories. Cory Lockwood initiated the team’s success with a win in the Hiser Burggraff Curtis Time Trial, finishing the 9.9-mile course in 19:03. Williams followed five seconds later, tying for third with Jack Diemar of Kelly Benefits Cycling and Albert Taylor of TaG Cycling Race Team. Cory Williams then secured the win in the Trilogy Veterinary Medical Center Criterium, with Justin Williams finishing second.
“A winter of doing the training that I necessitate to do. A team that bought in and believed. This feels and looks right. Happy to be back with the L39ION of Los Angeles squad and feeling quality on the bike again,” Williams posted on social media following his overall win. He was sixth overall at the Valley of the Sun Stage Race last year.
In the pro women’s race, Marjorie Rinaldo of Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY28 took the general classification title, extending her team’s winning streak to five consecutive years at the Arizona event. Rinaldo dominated the opening time trial, completing the 9.9-mile course in 21:22.
Rinaldo’s teammate, Ella Sabo, swept the remaining two stages. She won the field sprint on stage 2’s 62-mile road test, finishing ahead of Cara O’Neill of Team S&M CX and Minori Minagawa of Speedblock p/b Terun. Sabo then secured victory in the final stage criterium, outpacing Holly Breck and Skylar Schneider of L39ION of Los Angeles.
“I was beyond excited to capture the win in my first race wearing the U23 stars and stripes,” Sabo said after winning stage 2. “Winning the crit and finishing second on GC behind Marj was the perfect way to cap off the weekend! Emmi worked tirelessly for the team, and Marj controlled the race perfectly, setting me up to sprint for the win. I’m so proud of our small but mighty squad for winning every stage and taking 1-2 GC together.”
Sabo’s strong performance propelled her to second overall in the general classification, finishing three seconds behind Rinaldo. Emmi Gilbert and Claudia Ferreira of Monarch rounded out the top five.
Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY28’s success follows a four-year run of victories by Emily Ehrlich at the Valley of the Sun Stage Race. Rinaldo stated in a team release, “It means a lot to me to win this stage race. I’ve been trying to win it for five years.”
