Grace Arlandson uses 'queen stage' victory on day six of Tour de Bloom to unseat Mejías and Ehrlich for overall title

Grace Arlandson claimed the overall women’s title at the 2026 Tour de Bloom after a decisive victory on the race’s demanding final stage, known as the ‘queen stage’. The six-day event, held in Wenatchee, Washington, saw a fierce rivalry between Arlandson’s Aegis x Leaders of Enchantment (LOE) team and Virginia’s Blue Ridge-TWENTY28 (VBR-TWENTY28). Arlandson’s solo win on the mountainous 83.1km final stage, featuring nearly 2,000 metres of climbing, propelled her past the previous leaders Marlies Mejías and Emily Ehrlich to secure the overall victory. The race unfolded as a tactical battle between the two dominant teams. VBR-TWENTY28 initially controlled the early stages, with Emily Gilbert and Anna Hicks taking the top two spots in the opening uphill time trial and Mejías winning the Waterville Road Race. However, Arlandson remained consistently close, gradually chipping away at the lead. Ehrlich’s strong performance in the penultimate time trial briefly put VBR-TWENTY28 in control, but Arlandson’s strength on the final climb ultimately swung the general classification in favour of Aegis x LOE. Lauren Stephens, last year’s champion and founder of Aegis x LOE, chose not to compete this year to focus on training for the Unbound Gravel 200. Despite her absence, Stephens praised her team’s resilience and performance throughout the race, highlighting how their efforts kept her motivated during her own training block. The final podium reflected the intense competition, with Arlandson crowned overall winner, Mejías second, and Jamie Chapman, another Aegis rider, securing third place. On the men’s side, Nathan Martin of SpeedBlock p/b Terun emerged as the overall winner after a consistent performance across the stages. Martin took the leader’s jersey following a commanding time trial victory on stage five and held off challenges from Kent Ross and Cameron Hampton to claim the title by just over a minute. The Tour de Bloom once again showcased a blend of tactical racing and individual strength, setting the stage for upcoming events in the North American cycling calendar.