Garrett Horner (SoCalCycling.com Team)
Tucson Bicycle Classic Race Report
The Tucson Bicycle Classic is a multi-day road cycling stage race held each spring in Southern Arizona, attracting competitive amateur and professional fields from across the region and beyond. The event typically features a mix of a time trial, road race, criterium, and circuit race, testing riders across a variety of terrain including desert flats, sustained climbs, and technical urban courses. Known for its challenging courses and early-season form testing, the Tucson Bicycle Classic has become a key fixture on the Southwest racing calendar.
Garrett Horner (SoCalCycling.com Team) gives us a stage by stage update of his racing experience at the 2026 Tucson Bicycle Classic.
MARANA TIME TRIAL PROLOGUE (This was Merckx Style TT) Cat 2/3
Course description: A short, flat 7.8 km one-way time trial
I finished 2nd in the TT!
Averaged 348 watts and 46.6kph so should have my cat 2 upgrade.
Of course Gavin Sherry went like 20 seconds faster so I’ll definitely be marking him tomorrow.
SAHUARITA ROAD RACE
Course Description: A challenging 20.5-mile loop with approximately 1,000’ of climbing, including a solid, sustained climb, rollers, flats and a rapid descent. Three of the four roads are lightly traveled. Most of the vehicular traffic will be on La Cañada Dr and at the beginning of Duval Mine Rd. The RR track crossing at Duval Mine Rd and Mission Rd intersection has been rebuilt, take care, nonetheless. The Start/Finish is uphill and straight an is excellent for spectating.
I tried but couldn’t get a break to go today in the first part of the race, then I let one of the GC guys go up the road hoping I could get Gavin to attack and split it or ride the front and string it out. He threw in a couple attacks that I followed (barely) but he couldn’t get a gap either with the headwind. The guy up the road won solo after the group more or less sat up on the last lap.
I put myself in good position on Jaxon Pascal’s wheel for the sprint, but at 3k to go one of the other riders grabbed me by the arm to pull me off the wheel and almost crashed me. I spent the next 2.5 k moving back up, and there was a semi truck that broke down on the road with 500m to go, so when the group moved left I started my sprint to make up as many spots as I could last minute, then had to hold it to the line and only managed to get 14th.
I’m still 10th on GC, the guy who was up the road is leading, so I’m going try for a break tomorrow and hopefully make up some points. Gavin didn’t seem too comfortable in the group and didn’t sprint, so I’d imagine he’ll attack early tomorrow if for no other reason than to stay safe. So I’ll go with him if he goes early. Otherwise I’m going to look for an opportunity in the U turn to make a gap tomorrow because the field doesn’t seem too fast in the corners from what I could tell today.
Gavin’s power was unlike anything I’ve seen before he’s a monster, had a ton of fun following his attacks today. Did some arguing with the guy that grabbed me, he apologized after a bit too so I don’t think it’ll be an issue in the future. Definitely got sketchy for a second there though.
RIO NUEVO TUCSON CRITERIUM
Course Description: Four corners and one U-turn. 1.2km per lap.
I had tried some breakaway attempts that didn’t get away, and went into the last corner in 7th or 10th wheel as the field was sprinting for second, Jaxon (who was the one who came out of his pedal) pinched me off getting back into his pedal when I started my sprint. I had to start my sprint from a stop and only got 13th. Gavin Sherry (CycleSport.com) soloed in for the win 13 seconds ahead of the field.
ORO VALLEY CIRCUIT RACE
Course Description: 2.8 mile circuit with 190ft of elevation gain per lap.
We had some more break aways going today, but the two that could’ve made it had no cohesion. Then in the second to last corner I had to go around the outside to avoid hitting the brakes and ended up with a gap. Tried to hold it to the line but got caught and ended 16th.
I finished 10th on GC, so earned only two upgrade points from the Tucson Bicycle Classic.
Tucson Bicycle Classic Results
Tucson Bicycle Classic Results
Video: Garrett Gets a Shout Out in Dad Chris Horner’s Latest Video
Photographer Credit – Hersh Creative
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