Devo Wrap: Fifth in Peace Race tops week's results

The USA Cycling National Development Program is gearing up for the second part of the season. A group of juniors traveled to the Czech Republic to ride in the Peace Race while some development riders tuned up for this weekend's UCI Mountain Bike World Cup by racing in Switzerland.

JUNIORS

Alexey Vermeulen, who helped Geoffrey Curran finish fifth in the Czech Republic, winning the Juniors Men 17-18 road race in Augusta, Ga., in June 2011. (Photo by Jonathan Devich, www.epicimages.com)
Alexey Vermeulen, who helped Geoffrey Curran finish fifth in the Czech Republic, winning the Juniors Men 17-18 road race in Augusta, Ga., in June 2011. (Photo by Jonathan Devich, www.epicimages.com)
A group of five juniors riders contested the Course de la Paix (Peace Race) in the Czech Republic from May 3-6. After four stages, including a double second stage, Geoffrey Curran (Tustin, Calif./Surf City Cyclery-Sterling BMW) finished fifth, 45 seconds behind the winner Niklas Eg (DEN) in the final results. Curran, bolstered by placing seventh in the individual time trial as part of the second stage, also placed third in the Best Young Rider classification.

Alexey Vermeulen (Pinckney, Mich./Bissell-ABG-NUVO) placed 37th while Micheal Dessau (Boulder, Colo./Slipstream-Craddock Junior Development) finished in 75th. Thomas Wrona (Pinehurst, N.C./Hot Tubes Development Cycling Team) and Chad Young (Newmarket, N.H./CCB Racing) did not finish the race.

MOUNTAIN BIKE

As a tune up for the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup this weekend in Nove Mesto na Morave, Czech Republic, USA Cycling sent a group of development riders to the BMC Racing Cup as part of Solothurn Bike Days in Switzerland.

In the juniors men's race, Keegan Swenson (Park City, Utah/Cannondale Factory Racing) finished 10th, just 2:40.3 behind the winner Victor Koretzky (FRA) in the final results.

In the elite men's race, Stephen Ettinger (Cashmere, Wash./BMC Mountain Development Team), riding for his trade team, finished 13th, 5:01.2 behind the winner Nino Schurter (SUI).

Russell Finsterwald (Colorado Springs, Colo./Subaru-Trek Mountain Bike Team) and Kerry Werner (Banner Elk, N.C./BMC Mountain Bike Development Team) were both riding as U23s in the elite men's race. Neither were able to complete the contest. Finsterwald finished one lap down in 58th place and a mechanical issue forced Werner to abandon the race.

COMING UP

The following five juniors are slated to contest the Etappen der Rad in Germany from May 11-13:

Geoffrey Curran (Tustin, Calif./Surf City Cyclery-Sterling BMW)
Micheal Dessau (Boulder, Colo./Slipstream-Craddock Junior Development)
Alexey Vermeulen (Pinckney, Mich./Bissell-ABG-NUVO)
Thomas Wrona (Pinehurst, N.C./Hot Tubes Development Cycling Team)
Chad Young (Newmarket, N.H./CCB Racing)

From May 11-13, the following riders are slated to compete in the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Nove Mesto na Morave, Czech Republic:

U23 Men
Russell Finsterwald (Colorado Springs, Colo./Subaru-Trek Mountain Bike Team)
Howard Grotts (Durango, Colo./Fort Lewis College)
Kerry Werner (Banner Elk, N.C./BMC Mountain Bike Development Team)

Juniors Men
Richard Cypress Gorry (Payson, Ariz./Whole Athlete-Specialized)
Keegan Swenson (Park City, Utah/Cannondale Factory Racing)

Juniors Women
Kate Courtney (Kentfield, Calif./Whole Athlete-Specialized)

REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CAMPS

Registration for USA Cycling's Regional Development Camp from July 8-13 in Forest Grove, Ore. is open. Learn more, including registration, about our Regional Development Camps 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.


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About USA Cycling’s National Development Programs
One of USA Cycling’s dual missions is to achieve sustained success in international cycling competition. To that end, USA Cycling maintains development programs for all disciplines of competitive cycling, including men’s and women’s U25 and junior road; mountain bike; track (endurance and sprint) and BMX development programs. These programs provide a structured pathway to the top tier of the sport through athlete development that begins with Junior racing series, Regional Development Camps and racing and moves through to international competition. For more about USA Cycling’s Athlete Development Programs, click here.


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This Article Updated May 8, 2012 @ 06:41 PM For more information contact: