Life Time Grand Prix going to the wire!

Words James Ion - Photography Provided by Life Time Grand Prix

Cable, Wisconsin – September 13, 2025. In the rolling woods and sandy tracks of Chequamegon, the racing was raw, the gaps were razor-thin, and the overall Life Time Grand Prix standings just got a whole lot spicier.

Melisa Rollins lit the match early—mile 23, to be exact—on the notorious Firetower climb. While others were busy trying to decide if they still had oxygen in their lungs, Rollins punched it. And once she punched, she didn’t let go. Four minutes and thirty-two seconds later, she was all alone at the line, arms high, repeating her Cable conquest from 2021. Poetry in motion, with a chainsaw soundtrack.

Behind her, chaos. Sofía Gómez Villafañe had to throw down one of her patented late sprints just to pip Alexis Skarda for second, with Cecily Decker a wheel’s width away in fourth. The shuffle means Villafañe reclaims the overall lead, edging two points ahead of Decker. Rollins, now breathing down both their necks, sits only 10 points back. The women’s crown?

Absolutely up for grabs.

On the men’s side, Alexey Vermeulen waited, watched, and—like a poker shark who knows exactly when the table is about to fold—made his move with three miles to go. One attack, no looking back. By the time the pack realised he was serious, it was too late. Vermeulen bagged his third Chequamegon win with eight seconds in hand, proving yet again that he’s got Cable dialled better than your Spotify playlist.

Behind him, the sprint for the scraps was brutal: Kyan Olshove nicked second, Brendan Johnston took third, and Torbjørn Andre Røed was edged out by the width of a tire for fourth.

But here’s the real drama: Keegan Swenson, who’s looked unshakable all season, rolled in 12th. His once-comfy lead in the Grand Prix is now just a single point.

That’s right—one point separates him from Simon Pellaud. And Røed? He’s only two points back. Three men. Two races. Northwest Arkansas. You couldn’t script it tighter if you tried.

Exactly the way Keegan Swenson likes it, probably.

The final acts of this saga are set for Bentonville: Little Sugar MTB (October 12) and Big Sugar Gravel (October 18). By then, every watt, every climb, and every sprint will count. Buckle up—this Grand Prix is going to the wire.