Valley Preferred Cycling Center Opens 2026 Season with Exciting 50th Anniversary Celebration

BREINIGSVILLE, Pa. — The Valley Preferred Cycling Center opened its 2026 racing season Friday night with a showcase of world-class competition, international talent, and a celebration of the facility's 50th anniversary before an enthusiastic crowd.

The evening began with a special tribute to the visionaries who helped build one of America's most iconic cycling venues. Andrew Rodale Norelli rode a commemorative lap in honor of his grandfather, Bob Rodale, whose leadership and support helped establish the velodrome and shape generations of cyclists. The ceremony recognized the Rodale family's lasting impact on the sport and the Lehigh Valley community over the past five decades.

Racing action opened with the women's 5-kilometer Scratch Race, where Valentina Mendez of Argentina sprinted to victory over Colleen Gulick (Team Skyline) and Lucy Reeve (Canterbury Track Cycling) in a race averaging more than 42 km/h.

The men's 35-lap Points Race featured attacks throughout the event, with George Nemilostivijs (Team BSR) earning the victory with 16 points. Lance Abshire (Chaney Windows and Doors) finished second on 15 points, while James Ambrose-Parish (OneLifeCycle) claimed third.

In the women's Elimination Race, Mckenzie Milne (CCACHE) outlasted the field to take the win ahead of Colleen Gulick and Jenna Nestman (Tesseract Racing).

One of the fastest performances of the evening came in the men's Flying Mile, where James Ambrose-Parish powered to victory at an average speed of 54 km/h. Enzo Edmonds (Star Track) finished second, with local standout Otis Engel (Star Track UCI) taking third.

The women's Becky Quinn Points Race saw a dominant performance from Dannielle Watkinson (Star Track), who amassed 40 points for the victory. Lucy Reeve finished second with 38 points, while Mia Deye (Star Track) completed the podium.

The night concluded with the featured Mike Walter Madison, where Enzo Edmonds and Otis Engel (Star Track UCI) delivered a commanding ride to win with 47 points. Daniel Breuer and Lance Abshire (Chaney Windows and Doors) finished second, while James Ambrose-Parish and George Nemilostivijs (Team BSR) took third.

The successful opening night highlighted both the rich history and bright future of the Valley Preferred Cycling Center as it begins a season-long celebration of 50 years of racing, community, and cycling excellence in T-Town.