DEVO: Junior, U23 teams gain valuable, hilly experience in Europe
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Sean Quinn got the white jersey at Tour du Pays de Vaud.
Evan Clouse (Park City, Utah/Hot Tubes Development Cycling Team), Matteo Jorgenson (Boise, Idaho), Sean Quinn (Sherman Oaks, Calif./LUX Cycling), Ruben Saatijan, Conor Schunk (Charlotte, NC/Masters Cycling Systems LLC), and Riley Sheehan (Boulder, Colo./LUX Cycling) represented the USA as part of USA Cycling’s National Development Program at the Tour du Pays de Vaud in Switzerland, May 25-28.
After four days, 293 kilometers, and 5,978 meters of climbing – Quinn proudly cemented a fifth-place result in the overall classification of the Junior Nations’ Cup event. With the white jersey, the 17-year-old was also designated Best Young Rider.
“It’s one of the hilliest stage races we do all year,” explained USA Cycling’s Junior Coach, Billy Innes. “We were forced to regroup and refocus when our main GC contender, Matteo Jorgenson, was taken out of contention with a stage one crash. But our group did well to adjust.”
Quinn effectively held his place in the top group as each stage unfolded to end the third and final stage in fifth overall. Schunk was next up for the USA in 27th while Sheehan was 44th, Clouse 69th, and Saatijan 88th. In the team classification, the USA was eighth out of 18 teams.
USA Cycling fielded a strong junior team for Tour du Pays de Vaud.
“The heat took its toll on many riders,” Innes added. “Our guys took away some first-hand knowledge on the basics of hydration and nutrition, topics that always present a learning curve for young riders unaccustomed to European racing.”
See complete results from this year’s Tour du Pays de Vaud here.
In addition to the junior action in Switzerland, USA Cycling also fielded a team of six U23 riders for the U23 Flèche du Sud in Luxembourg, May 24-28.
Will Barta (Boise, Idaho/Axeon Hagens Berman), Cameron Beard (Bend, Ore./CCB Velotooler), Jonny Brown (Covington, Tenn./Axeon Hagens Berman), Ian Garrison (Decatur, Ga./Axeon Hagens Berman), Zeke Mostov (San Francisco, Calif./Aevolo Cycling Inc.), and Eric Voigt (Vienna, Va.) acquired some valuable experience racing in the hills for this five-day race.
Ian Garrison highlighted the team’s performance by representing the USA in the break during stage one and then placing seventh in the fifth and final stage. The race closed out strong for the young squad with Will Barta grabbing tenth place in the general classification.
See complete results from the 2017 Fleche du Sud here.
Fueling up for Fleche du Sud!
Coming Up
Next up for junior athletes in the National Development Program is the sixth Junior Nations’ Cup of the year – Trofeo Karlsberg in Germany, June 9-11.
In the U23 ranks, USA Cycling will field a team at the Course de la Paix U23 Nations’ Cup event, June 1-4 in the Czech Republic.
About USA Cycling’s National Development Programs
USA Cycling’s National Development Programs aim to achieve sustained success in international cycling competition for the United States by providing promising young athletes with a pathway to the top tier of the sport. Our athlete development programs begin with Talent ID Camps and move athletes all the way through to top international competition. Thanks to support from the United States Olympic Committee and to the generous support of our Foundation donors, we’re able to facilitate programs for junior and U23 cyclists in all five discipline of competitive cycling. If you want to help support the future of American cycling, click here to make a donation now.
This Article Updated June 2, 2017 @ 01:17 AM For more information contact:
