Race analysis, favourites, and predictions for Maryland Cycling Classic, presented by UnitedHealthcare 2022

The first edition of the Maryland Cycling Classic, presented by UnitedHealthcare was originally scheduled for September 2020. Later, the global COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on the cycling calendar forced it to be postponed up to two times, so it will be in 2022 when the race will finally make its debuts. This new race, which is part of the ProSeries (second category in world cycling), is the highest level event to be held in the United States since May 2019, when the last edition of the Tour of California was held.

Route

The race has a route of 200 km with more than 2,000 meters of climbing, although most of it is concentrated in the first half of the route. The final 50km runs on a 12km local circuit through the streets of Baltymore, which while not completely flat and quite twisty, shouldn't pose too much trouble for the sprinter teams to take the race to a bunch arrival.

Favorites

Team BikeExchange Jayco presents a very strong formation led by Michael Matthews (1000) and Dylan Groenewegen (600), we will see if they ride for one or the other when the time comes. Their main rivals in a sprint should be Giacomo Nizzolo (600) and Arvid De Klein (400), although other teams that do not have top sprinters in their ranks will try to break the race. Local riders Quinn Simons (400) and Neilson Powless (400) are two very combative riders and are likely to be the two main opponents to a bunch finale.