L39ION Shines at 2025 Tulsa Tough

It’s hard not to have a target on your back, critics in your ear, and a spotlight singling you out when you’ve won as much as L39ION has. Since they began racing Tulsa Tough, they’ve taken wins with arms outstretched—and losses that landed them in the medical tent.

For those unfamiliar, Tulsa Tough is a three-day criterium racing festival with some of the fastest courses and loudest fans you’ll find all year. Held in early June in Tulsa, Oklahoma, racers battle not only for position but also against the scorching summer heat over three unique and technical courses that get harder from Friday to Sunday.

The successful weekend found L39ION’s Kendall Ryan sprinting to victory, Ty Magner beginning his farewell tour, and Justin Williams racing aboard the Factor MONZA.

The Courses

Each day of racing presents a new challenge. Here’s our rundown of what riders and fans can expect from each course.

Photo credit: Alonso Tal

Blue Dome: Night one kicks off on the fastest of the courses—a relatively flat, wide, six-corner figure-eight layout. The final stretch features a gentle rise out of the last corner and 300 meters to the line. The real drama unfolds in the men’s race, which dives into true twilight conditions. Expect average speeds around 30 mph (48 km/h) for the full hour.

Arts District: Night two is narrower and more tactical. The L-shaped, six-corner course limits passing opportunities, forcing riders to fight for position. A deceptively tiring uphill drag from corners 3 to 4 begins to take its toll by mid-race. The final corner? Fast, downhill, off-camber, and unforgiving. Overcooked lines are common in the pursuit of no-brake glory to the finish line.

Cry Baby Hill: If you’ve heard of Tulsa Tough, you’ve heard of this. Cry Baby Hill delivers Tour de France–style crowds, narrowing the road and raising the volume to deafening levels. The hill is punchy and relentless, and the final corner—over 90 degrees with metal manhole covers at the bottom of a descent—is terrifying in the rain.

Photo credit: Alonso Tal

The Races

The 2025 edition of Tulsa Tough kicked off in spectacular fashion, with L39ION of Los Angeles once again making their presence felt on and off the course. Known for their dominance in American criteriums and their commitment to community, L39ION brought a stacked lineup featuring Justin Williams, Kendall Ryan, and veteran sprinter Ty Magner.

Friday night at the Blue Dome Criterium belonged to Kendall Ryan, who delivered a perfectly timed sprint for the win. After an early breakaway threatened to stay away, L39ION riders Laurel Rathbun and Holly Breck helped to bring the leaders back. With the field together, the team delivered Ryan to the front, where she surged past the competition for a decisive victory.

“I made sure I left some space when we were taking the last two turns so I could take a run on Alexis Magner’s wheel for a nice slingshot to the finish line,” Kendall said. “Winning the Blue Dome, the first race of the ACC, and in the USA champion’s jersey—it felt right. That win took a lot of patience.”

Photo credit: Alonso Tal

Saturday brought another result for Ryan, who sprinted to 2nd behind her sister, Alexis Magner, riding for Cynisca.

“I’ve won this race a few times and was confident in navigating the finish. The last corner is a downhill left-hand turn that is off camber,” Kendall continued. “Another rider collided with me on my right side, and I lost some momentum and had to take a really wide line to stay upright. The gap was too big for me to close at the finish. Alexis won by about a bike length, and I was 2nd.”

Sunday brought the pain of Cry Baby Hill. The hectic, demanding conditions complicated the race as the laps ticked by. Kendall explained: “I think everyone was pretty much at their limit. Holly (Breck) and Laurel (Rathbun) went to the front and kept the pace hard and steady so it would stay together for the finish.”

But even that great teamwork couldn’t net the win at the end of the day. “Going into the last lap, I had good position, but I got pinched in the 2nd-to-last turn,” Kendall said. “I clawed back a couple of positions leading into the final turn and held onto 7th.”

That was enough to land Ryan 2nd overall on GC for the weekend.

Williams races MONZA for the first time

On the men’s side, Justin Williams was joined by American sprinter Danny Summerhill, breakaway artist Robin Carpenter, Ty Magner, Alec Cowan, and Alfredo Bueno—gunning for podiums across all three days.

Photo credit: Alonso Tal

A highlight heading into the event was the fact it would be the first time Justin Williams would be racing the Factor MONZA. As a bike designed to be raced hard and to be able to withstand a bit of punishment, the MONZA offers the perfect attributes that a powerful rider like Williams needs in a hectic event like the Tulsa Tough.

“I got the bike, and I was in love with it right away. The way that it accelerates, the way that it handles, the way that it feels, the bounciness to it. I just love it. I just love this bike,” Williams said. “It feels like a race machine, which I like, despite it being an everyman’s racing bike. The best thing about the MONZA is I know that I am going to get the most amount of power transferred through to the pedals.”

Drawn to Tulsa on a deeper level

Williams, who has deepened his relationship with Tulsa over the years, continues to be inspired by the city’s culture and history, especially the legacy of Black Wall Street. Off the bike, Justin and the team hosted community rides and partnered with local businesses, including Silhouette Sneakers and Art, owned by Kellen James, to spotlight Black-owned storefronts and creators.

“Black Wall Street was built on vision, resilience, and excellence. That’s the spirit we carry into every race—and why we show up in Tulsa with intention,” Williams said. “From collaborating with Spoke House and SRAM, to supporting local Black-owned businesses like Silhouette, our goal is to pour back into the same soil that gave us this legacy. Because when community has purpose, the movement never dies.”

Photo credit: Alonso Tal

“Tulsa isn’t just another race weekend—it’s a pilgrimage. Every year, we come here not just to compete, but to honor the legacy of a community that built greatness in the face of unimaginable odds,” Williams explained. “Through our ‘We Ride’ activation, we’re building something bigger than results—we’re investing in people, culture, and storytelling that outlasts any finish line.”

Tulsa Tough remains one of the crown jewels of American criterium racing—and for L39ION, it’s more than just another start line. It’s an opportunity to share the joy of bikes and amplify community voices.

Photo credit: Alonso Tal

On-course, the men’s squad rallied around Danny Summerhill, who sprinted to 5th and 2nd on the first two nights and held strong on Cry Baby Hill to secure 3rd overall. Meanwhile, L39ION stalwart Ty Magner announced that 2025 will be his final professional season, making this Tulsa Tough a meaningful milestone. Magner has been with the team since 2021, capping off a 15-year career that includes a win at the 2022 Blue Dome Crit and countless contributions to L39ION’s famed lead-out train.

The 2025 edition of Tulsa Tough was more than a race weekend for L39ION—it was a statement of purpose. On the course, the team delivered results, from Kendall Ryan’s opening night win to Danny Summerhill’s consistency across all three days. Off the course, they continued to build meaningful connections with the Tulsa community, using their platform to amplify local voices and celebrate culture. Ty Magner’s retirement announcement added a layer of emotion to an already impactful weekend, reminding everyone that while results matter, legacy is built on more than podiums. For L39ION, Tulsa wasn’t just about racing—it was about showing up, giving back, and pushing the sport forward.

Photo credit: Alonso Tal

Factor MONZA

The Factor MONZA delivers true race performance in an optimised, practical package. Designed to accommodate the needs of the cyclists who work hard and play hard, high performance non-negotiables like WorldTour level handling, aerodynamics, and stiffness levels live side-by-side with practical features like integrated lighting solutions and in-frame storage. The geometry has been adapted to the bike’s all-around use scenarios, offering a democratic fit, which includes a slightly higher stack height to help open up hip angles.

Learn more about MONZA

Find the Factor dealer in your area using our DEALER LOCATOR page.