Brompton bicycle owners raced nearly six miles along the Anacostia River in D.C. on Sunday. Dressed in coats and ties, racers vied for a spot in the Brompton World Championship Race in England. (Ben Dorger/The Washington Post)

Brompton bicycle owners raced nearly six miles along the Anacostia River in D.C. on Sunday. Dressed in coats and ties, racers vied for a spot in the Brompton World Championship Race in England. (Ben Dorger/The Washington Post)

About 100 Brompton bicycle owners rode nearly six miles in a coat and tie on a scorching Sunday afternoon.

The fifth-annual Brompton Bicycle U.S. Championship Race requires races to dress in their most dapper attire and ride a Brompton folding bike on a course along the Anacostia River. The bike is known for its lightweight and compact folding capabilities.

1 of 11 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad × No easy ride at Brompton National Championships View Photos Americans participated in the Brompton National Championships folding bike race in Washington for a chance to win a trip to England to compete in the global competition. Caption Americans participated in the Brompton National Championships folding bike race in Washington for a chance to win a trip to England to compete in the global competition. July 13, 2014 Bikers start the race Le Mans style — where bikes are lined up and cyclists have to sprint to their bikes and unfold them before they hop on — at the fifth annual Brompton National Championships folding bike race in Washington. Katherine Frey/The Washington Post Buy Photo Wait 1 second to continue.

Each year Brompton hosts races around the world, and the finalists win a trip to England, where the company has its headquarters, to compete in the Brompton World Championship.

Travis Werts, of Nashville, and Anna Zhao, of Chapel Hill, N.C., became the male and female U.S. Brompton Champions. In two weeks they will visit England with their folding bikes to compete in the world championship a few hours from London.