Amazon Armed Forces Cycling Classic and A.S.O. Announce Strategic Collaboration

The Amazon Armed Forces Cycling Classic, a major cycling event in the Washington D.C. region for more than 25 years, has announced a strategic collaboration with French mass participation events company Amaury Sport Organisation.

A.S.O. organizes the Tour de France among a number of international cycling events, including La Vuelta, the Lidl Deutschland Tour and the Arctic Race of Norway.

Founded in 1998, the race was born from a local initiative aimed at bringing professional cycling to the streets of Arlington, before gradually becoming a cycling festival combining professional competitions, amateur and mass participation events and charitable initiatives. The objective is to have a positive impact by encouraging everyone to incorporate more cycling into their daily lives.

Today, the event attracts top-level riders and an ever-growing audience, establishing itself in the American sports calendar.

“The arrival of A.S.O. on the American market is a major step for the development of cycling in the country,” said Brian J. Morra, chairman of the Advisory Board of the Armed Forces Cycling Classic. “This agreement marks a promising new stage for American sport.”

“Creating the Armed Forces Cycling Classic has been very rewarding for me: it has allowed me to contribute to the development of a sport that has meant a great deal in my life and to share it with as many people as possible,” said Rob Laybourn, founder of the race and president of Arlington Sports. “Working with A.S.O., a global reference in cycling, is both a source of pride and a real source of enthusiasm for the future of this event.”
“We are proud to begin this collaboration alongside Arlington Sports on an event that has been developed with consistency and rigor for more than two decades,” said A.S.O. CEO Yann Le Moenner. “What stands out to us is the strength of its foundations; the event is deeply rooted in the local community and has grown in a sustainable way. Our role will be to support this momentum and contribute to its development, while preserving its identity.”

Continued Expansion

In 2025, the event expanded to Washington, D.C. for the first time, responding to demand from athletes, partners and spectators. This new agreement aims to strengthen the international reach of the event, enhance the experience for all stakeholders, and position Washington D.C. as a particularly attractive destination for the elite of cycling.

The 2026 edition of the Armed Forces Cycling Classic will take place from Saturday, May 30 through Sunday, May 31, 2026, in Washington, D.C. and Arlington, Virginia (Clarendon). 

“We are delighted to see this event reach new heights,” said Angie Gates, president and CEO of Events DC. “This partnership reinforces our shared vision of Washington, D.C. not only as a cycling destination, but also as a global sports destination.”