Myers' Gracia-Orlova performance tops National Development Program's week

Lindsay Myers (Paradise, Calif./Chico Corsa Cycling) earned the Best Young Rider in the Gracia-Orlova and Larry Warbasse (Traverse City, Mich./BMC Racing) placed eighth after leading the majority of the GP Palio del Recioto to highlight another standout week for USA Cycling's National Development Program.

ROAD

On Monday, April 25, Rob Squire (Sandy, Utah/Chipotle Development), who placed 36th, was the lone USA Cycling U23 rider to finish the Giro del Belvedere di Villa di Cordignano 2011, in Treviso, Italy.

Also riding in the Giro del Belvedere di Villa di Cordignano 2011 for USA Cycling were:
Ian Boswell (Bend, Ore./Hot Tubes Development Team)
Nathan Brown (Covington, Tenn./Trek-Livestrong)
Gavin Mannion (Dedham, Mass./Trek-Livestrong)
Carson Miller (Bend, Ore./Jelly Belly)
Larry Warbasse (Traverse City, Mich./BMC Racing)

On Tuesday, April 26, Warbasse led USA Cycling's effort in the GP Palio del Recioto in Negrar, Italy, but a late crash cost him the win.

The race started early as Warbasse was involved with a group of 11 riders breaking away from the group. Usually, in this race the peloton catches the breakaway, but it was apparent that this group could last to the finish.

As the lead group gradually thinned out, Warbasse found himself alone with Georg Preidler of Austria. With raindrops falling, Warbasse crashed on a turn, rotating his chain, allowing six other riders to pass him. In the end, Warbasse placed eighth, Mannion placed 27th and Squire finished 54th.

The race consisted of four big laps of approximately 33 kilometers and each lap climbed 3.5 kilometers and a fifth lap of 24 kilometers with a five-kilometer climb. In all, the race covered 145.3 kilometers in Italy.

Boswell, Brown and Miller also competed for USA Cycling in the GP Palio del Recioto.

On Sunday, May 1, in the Ereprijs Victor De Bruyne in Hoboken, Belgium, Eamon Franck (Pacific Grove, Calif./California Giant) broke away with a group of approximately 25 riders. Tanner Putt (Roswell, Ga./Team Type 1) brought five riders to the lead group with him just before a flat tire cost him his position.

The 177-kilometer course consisted of three large laps and five local laps.

Franck finished 26th and Putt placed 28th in the final results.

Also representing USA Cycling in the race were: Nate Geoffrion (Petaluma, Calif./Firefighters Cycling Association), Marshall Opel (Whitefish, Mont./Team Hammer Nutrition) and Nathan Wilson (Boulder, Colo./Univ. of Colo.-California Giant).

WOMEN

Lindsay Myers (Paradise, Calif./Chico Corsa Cycling) garnered Best Young Rider recognition at the five-stage Gracia-Orlova in the Czech Republic. Myers placed fourth in the general classification due, in large part, to finishing in the top 10 in three of the five stages and twice among the first five riders. Jackie Crowell (Maitland, Fla./Colavita Racing) led USA Cycling's riders in the prologue, placing eighth after the 2.2-kilometer ride. Myers placed eighth in the 102-kilometer first stage and fourth in the second stage. She placed fifth in the time trial to move from seventh to fourth in the general classification with one stage remaining.

Also representing USA Cycling were:
Ashley James (Dousman, Wisc./Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder)
Jackie Kurth (Palm City, Fla./Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder)
Jessica Prinner (South Elgin, Ill./ABD Cycle Club)
Ally Stacher (Hickory, N.C./HTC Columbia Women's Team)

CAMPS

There also was a U23 BMX camp last week, at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif.

The camp evaluated riders on their 90-foot sprints, Supercross time trials, rhythm section timing, vertical leaps, 30 and 90-foot times on the Supercross ramp and it included a Supercross race. Jared Garcia (Victorville, Calif./Factory QSI BMX) won the race. Kory Cook (Tustin, Calif./Redman-Rockstar), Johnny Woodmansee (Buckeye, Ariz./Fly Racing-Estrella Mountain) and Tommy Zula (New Carlisle, Ohio/ Dk Bicycles-Moley Gosh) rounded out the top four in the overall evaluations.

Those four riders have been invited to the elite camp already underway to crank up the competition in advance of the next Supercross World Cup in Papendal, Holland, May 26-28.

The following riders participated in the U23 BMX camp:

Boys
Kory Cook (Tustin, Calif./Redman-Rockstar)
Jared Garcia (Victorville, Calif./Factory QSI BMX)
Austin Hiatt (Fresno, Calif./SE Racing)
Bryce Hocking (Carlsbad, Calif./Factory Speed)
Nick Koehler (Tustin, Calif.)
Austin Loebe (Dover, Del.)
Jordan Miranda (Bakersfield, Calif./Clayborn)
Nathan Padilla (Lakewood, Calif.)
Blake Paulson (Folsom, Calif.)
Justin Posey (Winston-Salem, N.C./Dan's Competition)
Tanner Sebesta (Austin, Texas/Redmon)
Riley Stair (Folsom, Calif./Factory Tangent)
Zack VanKammen (Lake Elsinore, Calif.)
Johnny Woodmansee (Buckeye, Ariz./Fly Racing-Estrella Mountain)
Tommy Zula (New Carlisle, Ohio/Dk Bicycles-Moley Gosh)

Girls
Alaina Henderson (Ruby, N.Y./Felt Bicycles)
Baylie Kortman (Grand Rapids, Mich./Speed-TLD)
Keely Kortman (Grand Rapids, Mich./Speed-TLD)
Shelby Stacy (Bakersfield, Calif./Speed)

COMING UP

From May 4-8, a group of junior riders will contest the Course de la Paix in the Czech Republic. The five-stage race will traverse a total of 522.2 kilometers.

On May 5, the following group of U23 men riders will ride in the Circuit Wallonie in Belgium:

Eamon Franck (Pacific Grove, Calif./California Giant)
Nate Geoffrion (Petaluma, Calif./Firefighters Cycling Association)
Marshall Opel (Whitefish, Mont./Team Hammer Nutrition)
Nathan Wilson (Boulder, Colo./Univ. of Colo.-California Giant)

Photos:

Lindsay Myers on the podium after collecting the Best Young Rider accolades at the Gracia-Orlova.

Lindsay Myers at the start before finishing fifth in the time trial at the Gracia-Orlova.

(Photos by Jackson Stewart)

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