Development riders back on course as Swenson places fifth

After a brief hiatus, the USA Cycling National Development Program riders returned to competition beginning with the Mont-Sainte-Anne World Cup race.

MOUNTAIN BIKE

Keegan Swenson placed fifth in the junior men's cross-country race. (Photo by Rob Jones, www.CanadianCyclist.com)

USA Cycling funded a group of eight riders to contest the Mont-Sainte-Anne World Cup in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Quebec, Canada.

USA Cycling placed four riders in the top 16 finishers of the junior men's race, including Keegan Swenson (Park City, Utah/Whole Athlete-Specialized) placing fifth. Cypress Gorry (Payson, Ariz./AZ Devo) finished 10th, Ryan Standish (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) and Payson McElveen (Austin, Texas) was 13 and 16th, respectively, in the race's final results.

AliciaRose Pastore (Durango, Colo./Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory DEVO Sweet Elite) paced USA Cycling's junior women riders finishing fourth.

Tony Smith (San Rafael, Calif./Whole Athlete-Specialized) also contested the race.

Erica Zaveta (Erwinna, Pa./BMC Mountain Bike Development Team USA) placed 14th in the women's U23 race while Zach Valdez (Hemet, Calif./Whole Athlete-Specialized) finished down a lap in the U23 men's competition.

"I was very happy with Keegan and Alicia’s rides and pleased with the solid performance from the team as a whole," Cycling-Mountain Bike and Cyclo-Cross Program Director Marc Gullickson said. "I expect they will be able to improve next weekend when the World Cup comes to American soil in Windham, N.Y."

COMING UP

AliciaRose Pastore finished fourth in the junior women's race. (Photo by Rob Jones, www.CanadianCyclist.com)

USA Cycling will send a group of riders to the Windham World Cup Mountain Bike Festival in Windham, N.Y., on July 9.

USA Cycling will field a women's team to contest the Tour of Bretagne-Feminin, a road race in France from July 14-17.

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.