Devo Wrap: Dominant performance in Canada tops week

The riders of the USA Cycling National Development Program returned to international competition without missing a beat. The juniors contested Tour de l'Abitibi while a pair of U23 contingents were riding in Europe.

Juniors

The juniors dominated the Tour de l'Abitibi in Quebec, Canada-shown here sweeping the Stage 3 time trial. (Photo by Hugo Lacroix)

In all, the team occupied six of the top 11 in the general classification, including the top three spots as T.J. Eisenhart (Levi, Utah/Velosport Racing) won the race over his teammates Alexey Vermeulen (Pinckney, Mich./Bissell-ABG-NUVO) and Geoffrey Curran (Tustin, Calif./Surf City Cyclery-Sterling BMW), who also won the Best Young Rider classification. Alex Darville (Santa Barbara, Calif./Hammer Nutrition-CMG Racing Team), who finished eighth overall, brought home the points jersey , while the USA Cycling contingent won overall team general classification.

An American rider won five of the seven stages, including three stage wins by riders in the USA Cycling contingent and a pair of stage wins by Miguel Bryon (Miami, Fla./BLUE STAR-BOOM Development Team).

Gregory Daniel (Englewood, Colo./Slipstream-Craddock Junior Development) was only 2:44 behind Eisenhart, placing ninth overall. Logan Owen (Bremerton, Wash./Lake Washington Velo-Hagens Berman Cycling) held the Best Young Rider recognition for a period of the race before finishing fourth in that classification and 11th overall.

The contest consisted of seven stages and fielded approximately 160 riders spread over 22 teams from five different countries around the world.

Check out a photo gallery from the race.

U23

A group of four riders started the Giro valle d'Aosta, a six-stage race spanning July 16-22 in Italy.

Evan Huffman (Elk Grove, Calif./California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized) was the lone rider of the USA Cycling contingent to finish the race, placing 20th in the final results. Robin Carpenter (Philadelphia, Pa./Chipotle-First Solar Development Team), who was riding with his trade team, was the other American to complete the six-day contest, placing 51st.

Also contesting the race for USA Cycling were:

Nathan Brown (Covington, Tenn./Bontrager-Livestrong Team)
Paul Lynch (Colchester, Conn./Team Type 1-Development)
Nate Wilson (Elk Grove, Calif./California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized)

A group of six riders started the Tour de la Province de Liege Elites et Espoirs, a five-stage race stretching about 750 kilometers from July 17-21 in Belgium.

Charlie Avis (Palo Alto, Calif./Bontrager-Livestrong Team) posted the contingent's best result, placing 35th in the final results. Eamon Lucas (Fremont, Calif./California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized) also finished the race, placing 106th overall.

Also contesting the race for USA Cycling were:

Tyler Brandt (Fairfax, Calif./Team Mike's Bikes)
Jos Chalmers (Indian Harbour Beach, Fla./ZMOTION Racing Team)
Steve Fisher (Bellingham, Wash./Lake Washington Velo-Hagens Berman Cycling)
Jesse Goodrich (Louisville, Colo./Juwi Solar Cycling)

COMING UP

The following group of riders have a brief respite before contesting a race in Belgium called Internatie Reningelst on Thursday, July 26, before competing in the U23 Tour de la Province de Namur from Aug. 1-5 in Belgium:

Tyler Brandt (Fairfax, Calif./Team Mike's Bikes)
Jos Chalmers (Indian Harbour Beach, Fla./ZMOTION Racing Team)
Steve Fisher (Bellingham, Wash./Lake Washington Velo-Hagens Berman Cycling)
Jesse Goodrich (Louisville, Colo./Juwi Solar Cycling)
Matthew Lipscomb (Decatur, Ga./Hincapie Development Team-Greenville Spinners Bicycle Club)
Eamon Lucas (Fremont, Calif./California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized)

Additionally, the following group of women are slated to compete in La Route de France Internationale Feminine from Aug. 4-12 in France:

Kaitlin Antonneau (Racine, Wisc./Exergy TWENTY12)
Jackie Crowell (Maitland, Fla./Exergy TWENTY12)
Andrea Dvorak (Crozet, Va./Exergy TWENTY12)
Janel Holcomb (San Diego, Calif./Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)
Kristin McGrath (Boise, Idaho/Exergy TWENTY12)
Amanda Miller (Fort Collins, Colo./Team TIBCO-To the Top)

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.

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