Devo Wrap: Daniel nearly climbs to new heights in Belgium

Devo Wrap: Daniel nearly climbs to new heights in Belgium

The road riders of the USA Cycling National Development Program (NDP) nearly rode away with two jerseys last week. A U23 contingent performed very well in Belgium while a juniors men's squad supported its leader in his bid for a jersey.

U23

Greg Daniel wore the polka-dotted jersey awarded to the King of the Mountains after two stages of the 66th Tour de la Province de Namur in Belgium. (Photo by Mike Sayers)

Daniel, who held the King of the Mountains jersey after two of the race's five stages, finished only 54 seconds behind Floris De Tier (BEL) in the final results. He finished only eight points behind Gertjan De Vos (BEL) in the King of the Mountains and just 25 seconds behind Sjoerd van Ginneken (NED) at the end of the five-day race in Belgium.

Tyler Williams (Shafter, Calif./BMC Development Team), who placed 79th and Stephen Leece (San Luis Obispo, Calif./California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized), who was 105th, also competed in the race.

Daniel collected eight points in the King of the Mountains to finish the opening stage two points behind De Vos. He added six points to his total during the second stage to assume the top spot of that classification. Daniel amassed 11 more points to boost his overall total to 25 points to maintain the polka-dotted jersey by a two-point margin over De Vos. Daniel did not earn any points during the fourth stage, allowing Jean-Albert Carnevali (BEL) to pass him in that classification. During the final stage, Daniel added eight points during the final stage, but it was enough to overcome De Vos' 18 points as the Belgian rider topped that classification by eight points.

Jesse Goodrich (Louisville, Colo./California Giant Berry Farms/Specialized), Alexandre Darville (Santa Barbara, Calif./Bontrager Cycling Team) and Jeffrey Perrin (Lakewood, Colo./California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized) also contested the race.

Juniors
Diego Binatena (Playa del Rey, Calif./Swami's Cycling Club) tied for Best Young Rider at Le Trophée Centre Morbihan, a three-stage, two-day race in France from Aug. 3-4. Binatena and Adam Jamieson (CAN) each finished 1:14 behind the winner, Mathieu Van Der Poel (NED), in the general classification. Van Der Poel recorded a total time of 5:12:51.

Charlie Hough (Travelers Rest, S.C./Hincapie Development Team) was the USA Cycling contingent's next rider, finishing 1:33 behind the winner in 20th place. Max O'Neal (Seattle, Wash./Herriot Sports Performance) finished in 32nd place, 6:09 back while Greg Ratzell (Blandon, Pa./Young Medalists) completed the race 7:33 behind Van Der Poel. Seventeen-year-old Seth Veenbaas (Chino Hills, Calif./MRI-Monster Media) was in 49th place, 8:04 back. Tim Aiken (Stanford, Calif./Bear Development Team) also contested the race.

Binatena started the race in strong position, finishing the opening stage 48 seconds behind Van Der Poel, who won the opening stage road race with a time of 2:35:27. Jamieson finished the first stage with Binatena. The two-part second stage began with a time trial. Remi Cavagna (FRA) topped the results with a time of 9:28. Ratzell, who was USA Cycling's best performer, finished 35 seconds back. Binatena placed 26th, even with Jamieson, 41 seconds behind Cavagna and 26 seconds behind Van Der Poel. In the final stage, Ratzell, Veenbaas and Binatena finished four seconds behind the lead group of three riders. Jamieson was in the same group as Binatena.

Women
After three stages of the Route de France, the USA Cycling contingent has four riders within one minute of the race leader, Emma Johannsson (SWE), in the general classification.

Evelyn Stevens (Dennis, Mass./Specialized-lululemon) leads the Americans' effort, sitting in fourth place, only five seconds back. Kristin McGrath (Boise, Idaho/Exergy TWENTY16) is in 22nd place, 26 seconds back while Janel Holcomb (San Diego, Calif./Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) is 30 seconds back and Andrea Dvorak (Crozet, Va./Exergy TWENTY16) is 57 seconds behind Johannsson. Ally Stacher (Asheville, N.C./Specialized-lululemon) and Jacquelyn Crowell (Maitland, Fla./Exergy TWENTY16) are performing their roles very well, sitting in 57th and 66th place.

As a team, the USA Cycling squad is in fifth place in the team general classification, only 39 seconds behind Rabo Women Cycling Team, which is led by Megan Guarnier (Mountain View, Calif./Rabobank-Liv/Giant).

Stevens finished the time trial 4.78 seconds behind Johannsson and has not lost any time since the prologue.

The seven-stage race continues until Aug. 10 in France.

COMING UP
The following group of U23 riders are slated to contest 61st Large Silver Price Pils, Cycling Classic of the BDR in Germany on Aug. 11:

Sam Bassetti (San Geronimo, Calif./California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized)
Greg Daniel (Englewood, Colo./Bontrager Cycling Team)
Alex Darville (Santa Barbara, Calif./Bontrager Cycling Team)
Stephen Leece (San Luis Obispo, Calif./California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized)
Eamon Lucas (Pacific Grove, Calif./California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized)
Jeffrey Perrin (Lakewood, Colo./California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized)
Torey Philipp (El Dorado, Calif./ California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized)
Tyler Williams (Shafter, Calif./BMC Development Team)

Want to be part of USA Cycling’s Development Program? The first step is getting on USA Cycling’s radar. One of the best ways to do this is by attending a USA Cycling Regional Talent Identification Camp. The primary goal of the Talent ID Camps is to recognize athletes who, at an early age, show signs of potential future success in cycling. Receiving instruction from some of USA Cycling’s finest coaches, the camps also provide the necessary framework to improve the athletes skill set thus progressing their talent development. In some cases, the Regional Talent ID Camps assist in selecting riders for international competition and/or a national development camp.

For more information and the full 2013 schedule of USA Cycling’s Regional Talent ID Camps, please click here.

USA Cycling's National Development Programs are supported by the USA Cycling Development Foundation. Support the future of American cycling with an online donation now.

Facebook	Twitter	YouTube	RSS
United Healthcare		Volkswagen		Grapenuts	Holiday Inn