Devo Wrap: More lessons learned in Europe and in California

Devo Wrap: More lessons learned in Europe and in California

A group of U23 riders in the USA Cycling National Development Program (NDP) contested a trio of races in Denmark over the weekend. Meanwhile, a large group of young BMX riders took to the supercross track in Chula Vista.

U23
On Friday, a group of U23 riders contested Skive Lobet, a 174-kilometer road race. Eamon Lucas (Pebble Beach, Calif./California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized) finished in the pack with the winner of the race, Patrick Clausen (DEN), in 37th place. In the final results, Lucas finished the race in 3:41:51. Ty Magner (Athens, Ga./BMC-Hincapie Sportswear Development Team) and Stephen Leece (San Luis Obispo, Calif./California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized) completed the contest in 3:43:54, placing 98th and 99th, respectively.

Greg Daniel (Englewood, Colo./Bontrager Cycling Team), Alex Darville (Santa Barbara, Calif./Bontrager Cycling Team) and Connor O'Leary (Salt Lake City, Utah/Bontrager Cycling Team) also contested the race.

On Saturday, the riders lined up for the Himmerland Rundt, a one-day, 194-kilometer road race featuring 32 teams.

In the final results, Leece produced the group's best result, finishing in 19th place with the same time as the winner, Youri Havik (NED). Daniel was only 11 seconds behind Havik in 49th place.

Lucas, who rode a very aggressive race, was dropped after 180 kilometers and did not finish the race. Magner and O'Leary also did not finish the race after late flat tires.

That group of riders completed its weekend of racing at the Destination Thy, a 180-kilometer race in cool and stormy weather.

In the final standings, Magner paced the team, placing 30th, 26 seconds after the winner Constantino Zaballa (ESP), who finished the race in 4:26:20. Leece placed 40th, 3:45 behind Zaballa.

O'Leary put himself in an early, three-rider breakaway, which earned about 90 seconds on the field. Later in the race, Leece rode into another three-rider breakaway, which built a lead of no more than two minutes before gradually returning to the peloton. Daniel and Lucas also contested the race.

BMX Camp

Three young women await their turn atop the ramp at the track in Chula Vista. (Photo by James Herrera)

The camp, supported by Chase BMX and Tioga BMX, is designed to introduce young athletes to the Olympic-style supercross track, while improving the riding proficiency of past camp attendees. On-track skill sessions were conducted daily, while performance testing was accomplished later in the week. Arielle Martin (Spanaway, Wash./Intense BMX), who was serving as a coach at the camp, put together an itinerary that included track training, strength and conditioning workouts, along with classroom sessions on being a professional, sports nutrition, and recovery techniques. The camp concluded with a race simulation, with Collin Hudson (Longmont, Colo./Crupi BMX) taking the win.

Three riders in the starting blocks at the supercross track in Chula Vista. (Photo by James Herrera)

Check out a photo gallery from the camp.

Below are the riders who participated in the camp:

Girls:
Destiny Ford (Rio Linda, Calif./Ssquared-AtomLab)
Lexa Jones (Peoria, Ariz./Ssquared-Answer-Troy Lee)
Veronica Laughton (Lancaster, Calif./Block Bike Corps)
Kelsey Van Ogle (Auburn, Wash./Phoenix Bicycles)

Boys:
Bryce Betts (Brentwood, Calif./Phoenix Factory Racing)
Antonio Bonessi (Hendersonville, N.C./Hyper-Rennen-1-9 Wheel)
Ben Bryson (North Fort Myers, Fla./Prana)
Dougie Butcher (Scottsdale, Ariz./Redman-Rockstar)
Matt Chism (Huntington Beach, Calif./Bike Alley-Redline-Rocks)
Walker Finch (Fort Collins, Colo./Factory Haro-Promax)
Lee Gaskin (Angola, N.Y./Green Factory Racing)
Makieva Hopson (North Las Vegas, Nev./Vendetta-Elite Bicycles)
Collin Hudson (Longmont, Colo./Crupi)
Gavin Nelson (Chico, Calif./Dirty 530-Supercross-Tan)
Alden Volle (Penryn, Calif./Dan's Competition)

COMING UP

U23
The following group of U23 riders are slated to contest the 202-kilometer Ronde van Overjissel on May 4 in the Netherlands before competing in Circuit de Wallonie Ville de Fleurus in Belgium on May 5:

Greg Daniel (Englewood, Colo./Bontrager Cycling Team)
Alex Darville (Santa Barbara, Calif./Bontrager Cycling Team)
Daniel Eaton (Mesa, Ariz./Gateway Harley-Davidson)
Stephen Leece (San Luis Obispo, Calif./California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized)
Eamon Lucas (Pebble Beach, Calif./California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized)
Ty Magner (Athens, Ga./BMC-Hincapie Sportswear Development Team)
Connor O'Leary (Salt Lake City, Utah/Bontrager Cycling Team)

The juniors road riders return to action in the Czech Republic to contest the Course de la Paix Juniors from May 1-5. Below is the group of riders representing USA Cycling at the race:

Wil Barta (Boise, Idaho/B.Y.R.D.S. (Boise Young Rider Dev Squad))
Jake King (North Garden, Va./Hot Tubes Development Cycling Team)
Zeke Mostov (San Francisco, Calif./Slipstream-Craddock Junior Development Team)
Logan Owen (Bremerton, Wash./California Giant Cycling)
Greg Ratzell (Blandon, Pa./Young Medalists)
Noah Williams (Wimberley, Texas/Slipstream-Craddock Junior Development Team)

Additionally, there are two Juniors 15-16 European Race Camps coming up. The first camp spans July 9-29 and the second is July 30-Aug. 19.

Both camps will have very similar offerings with just enough differentiation to make each experience unique. The purpose of the 15/16 European Race Camp is to create a learning opportunity for highly motivated young riders by exposing them to the subtleties and specific nuances of international competition and life in a foreign country.

The cost for the camp is $1500 and includes travel, housing at the USA Cycling European Training Center (Sittard, NED), food, and incidental expenses for the duration of the camp. Camp activities will include races in Belgium (two per week), bike-handling drills, strategy sessions, general training rides, and cultural activities. Camp participants in the past have included current National Development Program representatives Nathan Brown, Greg Daniel, TJ Eisenhart, Logan Owen, Jacob Rathe, and Lawson Craddock.

If you are interested or know someone who might be, please use this survey to express your interest: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/P2XDCT6.

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.

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