National Development Program stays busy in Europe

USA Cycling's National Development Program continued its European road race season last weekend, fielding U23 riders at the GP Stan Waregem on March 23 in Belgium as well as the Aalst-St. Truided on March 27.

ROAD

USA Cycling sent four U23 riders to two races in Europe last week. Eamon Franck (Pacific Grove, Calif./California Giant), Nate Geoffrion (Petaluma, Calif./Firefighters Cycling Association), Marshall Opel (Whitefish, Mont./Team Hammer Nutrition), and Nate Wilson (Boulder, Colo./Univ. of Colo./California Giant), each rode in the grueling GP Stan Waregem on March 23 in Belgium as well as the Aalst-St. Truided on March 27.

“You can never know what it’s like to race in Europe until you race in Europe,” Opel said. “The field in Waregem was huge and very strong. Every sort of element you could possibly bring into bike racing is in this race: cobbles, wind, people, ‘road furniture.’ Your senses really have to be heightened as there is always something happening.”

Franck paced the crew, finishing 76th.

For complete results of the GP Stan Waregem, click here.

Opel placed 86th while Geoffrion took 122nd in the Aalst-St. Truided. For complete results of the race, click here.

COMING UP

The following seven riders will remain in Europe with the USA Cycling National Development Program, at the Trip Mont et Chateaux from April 1-3.

Ian Boswell (Bend, Ore./Hot Tubes Development Cycling)
Nathan Brown (Covington, Tenn./Trek-Livestrong)
Lawson Craddock (Houston, Texas/Trek-Livestrong)
Ryan Eastman (Petaluma, Calif./ All Sport-Team Swift)
Gavin Mannion (Dedham, Mass./Trek-Livestrong)
Rob Squire (Sandy, Utah/Chipotle Development)
Larry Warbasse (Traverse City, Mich./BMC Racing)

On April 3, the following five riders will compete in the Col san Martino.

Eamon Franck (Pacific Grove, Calif./California Giant)
Nate Geoffrion (Petaluma, Calif./Firefighters Cycling Association)
Marshall Opel (Whitefish, Mont./Team Hammer Nutrition)
Tanner Putt (Roswell, Ga./Team Type 1)
Nate Wilson (Boulder, Colo./Univ. of Colo./California Giant)

USA Cycling would like to wish U23 rider Nate Wilson a very happy 20th birthday, today!

Photo: Members of the U23 Men's Development Program pose for a picture during a busy week in Europe. (Photo by Casey Gibson).
 

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