Every Friday—legendary cycling announcer Dave Towle brings you The American Cycling Report, your quick and clear rundown of the top stories in U.S. road and gravel racing. From the biggest events on American soil to updates on American riders competing in Europe, Dave delivers the news, context, and energy that keep fans connected to the heart of the sport. Whether it’s criteriums, gravel, or the world stage, this is your go-to source for what’s happening in American cycling.
Project Echelon's National Champion; Luke Elphingstone
American Cycling Report: Luke Elphingstone, Elite National Criterium ChampionPresented by rowerM8.com
Luke Elphingstone grew up racing in Boulder, and this summer he became the best criterium racer in the country. In June, riding for Project Echelon Racing, he won the Elite Men’s Criterium National Championship in Charleston, West Virginia, in his first attempt at the elite title.
Dave and Luke start with Boulder Junior Cycling, the program where Luke learned to race. They talk about the coaches, the group rides, and the culture that has made Boulder such a strong place to develop young riders.
From there, Luke explains why collegiate cycling was a great fit for him. He was able to keep his education on track while racing a full calendar with a team behind him, and the college scene gave him room to grow as a sprinter and a racer.
The conversation finishes with the path to the stars-and-stripes jersey. Luke stepped up from a U23 podium the year before to the elite title, and he talks about the breakaway, the work his Project Echelon teammates did, and what it took to win the final sprint.
This is a story about how a grassroots junior program and the collegiate pathway can produce a national champion.
Watch Luke win the 2026 Elite Men’s Criterium National Championship: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ZlHaYgBjAXM
2 Oct 2026
The Pride of Philadelphia: Team Automatic Racing's Kim Stoveld
When the Philadelphia Cycling Classic returned to the streets on August 30 after a ten-year break, the home crowd had one of their own to cheer for. Kim Stoveld, a Brewerytown resident, a registered nurse, and a rider for Automatic Racing, lined up against a WorldTour-level women's field and then went up the road in an early breakaway, leading the race on her home roads.
Kim's path to that start line was anything but typical. She was a college swimmer at the University at Buffalo, didn't take up competitive cycling until the pandemic, and won four of her first six road races in 2021. By 2022 she'd earned a spot on Automatic Racing alongside former Olympians and pros, and she still rides to work before a full nursing shift. She was a fan on the barriers at Philly from 2013 to 2016, and when the Classic's comeback was announced, she reached out to race director Robin Morton and helped earn her team an invite.
Dave and Kim talk about:
Going from swimmer to bike racer in her 30s
Balancing a nursing career with elite-level training
Making her Tuesday night group ride climb the Manayunk Wall over and over
What it felt like at the front of the race in front of a Philly crowd
The growth of women's racing in Philadelphia and beyond, and her message to the next generation
Watch the full 2026 Philadelphia Cycling Classic women's race (6abc):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoEUsIeo52I
18 Sept 2026
The Future of American Criterium Racing: Cadence Cyclery's Luke Fetzer
Episode Show Notes: Luke Fetzer
Guest: Luke Fetzer — former U.S. U23 Criterium National Champion, riding for Cadence Cyclery p/b Waldo
Luke Fetzer joins the show as one of the clearest signs of where American criterium racing is headed. A former U23 national champion, Fetzer races for the powerhouse Cadence Cyclery p/b Waldo squad and has already put together a résumé that marks him as a rider on the way up fast. Dave talks with Luke about racing at the front of the field, what's next for him, and why he's one to watch as the future of the sport.
Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by KÜHL.
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