NEWLY CROWNED NATIONAL CHAMP BRINGS HER CYCLING PROWESS TO THE 79TH TOUR OF SOMERVILLE ON MEMORIAL DAY

SOMERVILLE, NJ- On the heels of her winning the women’s U.S. Criterium Championship last week, cycling phenom Coryn Labecki will arrive at the 79th Tour of Somerville P/B Unity Bank bicycle race on Memorial Day with expectations of adding another win to her 57 career victories.

On Monday, Memorial Day, May 27, 2024, a day-long series of preliminary events for USA Cycling licensed riders of different ages and skill groups will be contested. The two feature races will kick-off at 3 P.M. with the 25-mile women’s race followed by the men’s Kugler-Anderson Memorial 50-mile contest at 4:25 P.M. in Somerville’s downtown.

Labecki, the newly crowned women’s Criterium (closed city street, multi lap event) Champion, boasts across the board strength as a road, cyclo-cross and track rider. For the first time since her championship win last week Labecki wll be easy to spot wearing the Stars and Strips jersey. The 31-year-old California native who now hails from Lancaster, Pa., has spent the last few seasons racing successfully in Europe

Along with Labecki who is racing with the (EF Foundation-Cannondale team), sprint sensation Alexis Magner (L39 of Los Angeles); Pan American Games Road Champion Skyler Schneider (Miami Blazers) and the reigning Canadian national champion Holly Simonson (LA Sweat) are serious challengers for the podium

On the men’s side, seasoned winners like Cape May native Thomas Gibbons (Automatic A-Bus), last year’s Somerville winner Danny Estevez (L39 of Los Angeles), and national cycling legend Cory Williams (Miami Blazers) will join emerging talent James Gardner (MitoQ), a 19-year-old New Zealander, to set the stage for a thrilling battle on Somerville’s electric fast 1.1 mile per lap downtown loop,

The race day combines a free sporting event with lawn parties, family reunions, music, and a kid’s play area near the County Courthouse Green. Many of Somerville’s downtown eateries and bistros will be open serving food and drink with outdoor seating. The start-finish line will be across from the United Methodist at the corner of Main and Union streets.

Dubbed decades ago ”The Kentucky Derby of Cycling,” the Somerville race is the oldest bicycle race in America, tracing its origins back to 1940 when local hero Furman Kugler won the first two events In 1942 the race winner was Carl Anderson of Clifton, Passaic County. The race was suspended in 1943 for World

War II during which both Kugler and Anderson lost their lives. The event began again in 1947, “The Kugler-Anderson Memorial” Tour of Somerville.

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