Devo Wrap: Week of racing nets one jersey

The USA Cycling National Development Program is in full swing with women, U23 and juniors riders contesting races throughout Europe with success. The week's bounty included brief possession of a yellow jersey and full ownership of the King of the Mountains jersey.

U23 MEN
Ronde van Vlaanderen

On a damp, chilly Saturday in Belgium, a group of six U23 men contested the Ronde van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders). The race spans 170 kilometers and traverses paved roads as well as cobblestones.

Tanner Putt (Park City, Utah/BMC-Hincapie Sportswear Cycling Team) recorded the contingent's best result, placing 11th in the final results, 45 seconds behind the winner Salvatore Puccio (ITA), who completed the race in 4:28:36.

After approximately 50 kilometers, the riders were in good position as the peloton passed through Molenberg, a narrow stretch of the race on cobblestones. Five of the six Americans were in the front group. Shortly after Molenburg, Eamon Lucas (Fremont, Calif./California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized) put himself in a five-rider breakaway. Unable to overcome a strong wind, that breakaway returned to the peloton.

Within a two-kilometer stretch, the Americans' luck turned for the worse as one rider broke a spoke and another flatted, but that did not dim the Americans' effort.

Lawson Craddock (Austin, Texas/Bontrager Livestrong Team), who had one of the mechanical issues, used a huge effort and a spare wheel to be one of three Americans in the 30-rider lead group on the last of the circuit laps. Putt and Gavin Mannion (Dedham, Mass/Bontrager Livestrong Team) were the other two groups.

Mannion's wheel flatted and Craddock fell victim to the effort he exerted earlier, leaving Putt in the lead group for the last 10 kilometers.

Giro de Belvedere
On Monday, April 9, a group of five riders contested the U23 Giro de Belvedere, a one-day road race in Italy, for USA Cycling. Ian Boswell (Bend, Ore./Bontrager Livestrong Team) placed best in the general classification, finishing in 16th place, 15 seconds behind the race winner Daniele Dall'Oste (ITA).

Juniors

Ster van Zuid-Limburg
The juniors riders in USA Cycling's National Development program started its International campaign with Ster van Zuid-Limburg, a four-day road race across the flat plains of the Limburg region of Belgium.

Logan Owen (Bremerton, Wash./Lake Washington Velo) earned the King of the Mountain jersey after the first road stage and he and his American comrades refused to relinquish control. His fellow Americans, Christopher Calder (Greenville, S.C./Les Amis), Alex Darville (Santa Barbara, Calif./Hammer Nutrition-CMG Racing Team), T.J. Eisenhart (Lehi, Utah/Velosport Racing), Colby Wait-Molyneux (Vancouver, Wash./Hammer Nutrition-CMG Racing Team) and Ian Moore (San Luis Obispo, Calif./Team Swift) contributed to the teamwork by taking valuable points away from other racers and setting Owen up for the KOM sprints as well as protecting Eisenhart's spot in the overall results throughout the weekend.

Despite four of the six riders combatting the flu, the final stage saw major attrition and only 28 riders were able to finish on the lead lap. Gusting winds and rain reduced the pack to small groups and the Americans were hit hard. Owen finished 31st and Eisenhart 35th on the stage and 23rd and 30th, respctively in the general classification.

BMX Junior Development Camp
Thirteen young riders made their way to Chula Vista, Calif., April 1-8, for a USA Cycling BMX Junior Development Camp at the Olympic Training Center. The week-long camp saw riders not only have eight practice sessions on the Supercross track, but also opportunities to learn about training, nutrition, weights, recovery, dynamic warm-ups, timed sprints, and more.

Congratulations to the following riders for participating in the camp:

Sean Gain, Colin Hudson, Gavin Nelson, Walker Finch, Hunter Pelham, Taylor Stevens, Zac Jolicoeur, Caleb Minthorn, Josh Banuelos, Luke Roarty , Kavin Bradner, Shalen Reno, and Kendal Perez.

WOMEN

Energiewacht Tour
A group of six women started the five-day Energiewacht Tour in the Netherlands, but a rash of bad luck spread through the contingent and only two completed the contest.

Kristin Armstrong (Boise, Idaho/Exergy Twenty12) started the competition off strong, winning the opening stage individual time trial with a time of 19:42. Carmen Small (Durango, Colo./Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) was 1:35 behind Armstrong and Tayler Wiles (Sandy, Utah/Exergy Twenty12) finished 1:39 back to finish 25th and 27th, respectively. Andrea Dvorak (Crozet, Va./Exergy Twenty12) was 2:00 back in 40th place and Kristin McGrath (Boise, Idaho/Exergy Twenty12) was 14 seconds behind Dvorak in 52nd.

In the second stage, Dvorak was in the field sprint to the finish line and placed 15th. Armstrong and Small were in the third group, finishing 3:44 behind the leaders, sacrificing the yellow jersey.

The third stage consisted of a road race in the morning and team time trial in the afternoon. Neither McGrath, Small nor Wiles were able to compete in the third stage due to various reasons, leaving Armstrong and Dvorak to finish the race. The two Americans finished 10:22 behind the stage winner in the morning road race before a strong showing in the team time trial.

The effort, however, got the best of both women as they were unable to start the 137.2-kilometer final stage of the race.

COMING UP
A group of U23 men are slated to compete in the GP Palio del Recioto, a one-day road race traversing 143.2 kilometers in Italy Tuesday.

Ian Boswell (Bend, Ore./Bontrager Livestrong Team)
Max Durtschi (Sun Valley, Idaho/Chipotle-First Solar Development Team)
Ryan Eastman (Petaluma, Calif./Team Swift)
Paul Lynch (Colchester, Conn./Team Type I Development)
Larry Warbasse (Traverse City, Mich./BMC-Hincapie Sportswear Cycling Team)

On Wednesday, a second group of seven U23 men are slated to ride in the Cote Picardie, a one-day road race in France:

Nate Brown (Covington, Tenn./Bontrager Livestrong Team)
Rob Bush (Louisville, Ky./Chipotle-First Solar Development Team)
Lawson Craddock (Austin, Texas/Bontrager Livestrong Team)
Ty Magner (Athens, Ga./BMC-Hincapie Sportswear Development Team)
Gavin Mannion (Dedham, Mass./Bontrager Livestrong Team)
Tanner Putt (Park City, Utah/BMC-Hincapie Sportswear Cycling team)

On Saturday, the following group of U23 men will contest the ZLM:

Rob Bush (Louisville, Ky./Chipotle-First Solar Development Team)
Eamon Lucas (Fremont, Calif./California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized)
Ty Magner (Athens, Ga./BMC-Hincapie Sportswear Development Team)
Gavin Mannion (Dedham, Mass./Bontrager Livestrong Team)
Anders Newbury (Fairfield, Vt./Chipotle-First Solar Development Team)
Tanner Putt (Park City, Utah/BMC-Hincapie Sportswear Cycling Team)

Also on Saturday, a group of U23 riders will be competing in Liege-Bastogne-Liege:

Joshua Berry (Ketchum, Idaho/Chipotle-First Solar Development Team)
Max Durtschi (Sun Valley, Idaho/Chipotle-First Solar Development Team)
Daniel Eaton (Mesa, Ariz./Mesa Cycles Shop and Racing Team)
Paul Lynch (Colchester, Conn./Team Type I Development)
Larry Warbasse (Traverse City, Mich./BMC-Hincapie Sportswear Cycling Team)

The following group of juniors men will compete in the G.P. Bati Metallo:

Christopher Calder (Greenville, S.C./Les Amis)
Alex Darville (Santa Barbara, Calif./Hammer Nutrition-CMG Racing Team)
T.J. Eisenhart (Lehi, Utah/Velosport Racing)
Colby Wait-Molyneux (Vancouver, Wash./Hammer Nutrition-CMG Racing Team)
Ian Moore (San Luis Obispo, Calif./Team Swift)
Logan Owen (Bremerton, Wash./Lake Washington Velo)

A group of American women is slated to compete in Halle Buizegen on Sunday, April 15 and Fleche Wallone on Thursday, April 19 in Belgium

Andrea Dvorak (Crozet, Va./Team Exergy Twenty12)
Janel Holcomb (San Diego, Calif./Colavita-Forno d'Asolo)
Kristin McGrath (Boise, Idaho/Team Exergy Twenty 12)
Tayler Wiles (Sandy, Utah/Team Exergy Twenty12)
Ruth Winder (Lafayette, CA/HDR p/b Lombardi Sports)

PHOTOS

Eamon Lucas was among the leaders during the Ronde van Vlaanderen. (Photo by Mario Varrewaere)

Logan Owen sporting the polka-dotted King of the Mountain jersey at Ster van Zuid-Limburg. (Photo by Billy Innes)

Kristin Armstrong topping podium following the opening stage time trial at the Energiewacht Tour. (Photo by Jackson Stewart)

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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