USA Cycling Development riders tackling challenges worldwide

From the valleys of Dalby Forest to the mountaintops of the Pyrenees, USA Cycling had development teams contesting races. There was a group of riders in the United Kingdom, competing in the Dalby Forest World Cup, riders in France at the Ronde l'Isard U23 and a group of junior riders gaining experience in Zeeland, The Netherlands at the Internationale Junioren Driedaagse van Axel.

ROAD

The group of six USA Cycling riders aggressively contested the Ronde l'Isard U23, a three-stage race from May 20-22, in the Pyrenees mountains in France. There was at least one USA Cycling rider in the top 10 of each stage, resulting in the team placing third in the teams classification and Rob Squire (Sandy, Utah/Chipotle Development) finishing sixth overall. Larry Warbasse (Traverse City, Mich./BMC Racing) was 11th in the general classification.

The team's strategy going into the race was to set Squire and Warbasse up to make a move in the more mountainous second stage. The riders followed the plan as Jacob Rathe (Portland, Ore./Chipotle Development) and John Bennett (El Cerrito, Calif./California Giant) started the race strong for the team, placing seventh and 11th, respectively, in the 150.6-kilometer opening stage. In fact, Rathe earned sprint points at the 45 kilometer mark, placing him fifth in the general classification.

In the second stage, the riding was much more aggressive, despite the rain and cool temperatures, with a lot of attacks from various riders. The peloton frequently split apart and came back together. Squire worked his away to bridge between a three-rider breakaway and the peloton at the start of the first climb, spanning 7.3 kilometers.

Squire pulled the group along with Joseph Dombrowski and Patrick Lane (Australia). Kenny Elissonde (France) attacked and broke away from the lead group, eventually winning the stage while Squire finished fourth.

In the third stage, the riders traversed 168.6 kilometers from Auterive to St. Girons, France. Squire finished eighth, Warbasse was 16th, Bennett was 31st, Max Durtschi (Boulder, Colo./Chipotle Development) was 33rd, Rathe was 42nd and Anders Newbury (Fairfield, Conn./Chipotle Development) placed 44th.

In the general classification, Squire had the best finish, placing sixth, ahead of Warbasse, who was 11th. Durtschi placed 22nd, Rathe was 35th, Newbury was just ahead of Bennett, 47th and 48th, respectively.

MOUNTAIN BIKE

Jack Hinkens begins a downhill at the Dalby Forest World Cup. (Photo by Robert Jones, www.CanadianCyclist.com)

USA Cycling sent five riders to contest the Dalby Forest World Cup in Yorkshire, England. Friday's new UCI Eliminator event started the team's weekend positively. Chloe Forsman (Tucson, Ariz./BMC MTB Development) advanced to the small final in a new sprint event that challenges riders to qualify in a timed run over a roughly one to two-minute loop through a downtown area then from that timed run the top 32 advance to the eliminator round. After posting some impressive early rounds, Forsman placed fourth in the small final so she ended up eighth overall.

The U23 men’s cross-country race was Saturday, and after Stephen Ettinger's (Cashmere, Wash./BMC MTB Development) performance in Germany the previous week, hopes were high for a strong result from him. Joining Ettinger in this race were Jack Hinkens (Eden Prairie, Minn./BMC MTB Development) and Kerry Werner (Banner Elk, N.C./BMC MTB Development).

All three of USA Cycling's male riders start slowly, but after the first lap all three progressed through the field. In the final results, despite posting the fastest final lap, Ettinger finished 10th while Werner weaved to 31st and Hinkens to 41st. The two women contesting for USA Cycling were Forsman and Amy Dombroski (Boulder, Colo./Crank Brothers Race Club). Each of the two women pulled out with one lap remaining due to mechanical issues.

JUNIORS

Jorgenson (middle wearing grey shirt) received best cobblestone rider jersey at Internationale Junioren Driedaagse van Axel. (Photo by William Innes)

Six junior riders contested the Internationale Junioren Driedaagse van Axel in Zeeland, The Netherlands. The stages had all the classic elements of a lowland country race: wind, cobbles, crosswinds and narrow roads. The team had trained on the first stage a few days prior to the race starting. It paid off as the team helped Kristo Jorgenson (Boise, Idaho/Boise Young Riders Dev. Squad) place first and second in the first two sections and eventually he won the cobblestone jersey. David Benkoski (Menlo Park, Calif./Team Specialized) posted the team's best result (67th) on a day of maximum attrition.

The second stage began with a 10-kilometer time trial where Jorgenson finished 24 seconds behind the winner, in 14th place. The riders did well to finish at all as the course was a big loop which ended in circuits and was especially challenging due to crosswinds.

Sunday's final stage started in Zottegem, Belgium, and the 24-kilometer loops had numerous turns and bumps as well as multiple cobblestone sections. Jorgenson and Austin Boswell (Bend, Ore./Hot Tubes Development) were the team's best placed riders, placing 47th and 76th, respectively on a day that claimed half of the 165 riders that started the day.

In the final results, Jorgenson placed 62nd while Boswell finished 73rd.

Also contesting the race were:

Dean Haas (Lakewood, Colo./Team Specialized Racing)
Erik Volotzky (Chatsworth, Calif./Cycle World)
Benjamin Wolfe (Niantic, Conn./Corner Cycle Cycling)

COMING UP

The group of seven riders below will contest the prestigious U23 Paris Roubaix in France on May 29:

John Bennett (El Cerrito, Calif./California Giant)
Max Durtschi (Boulder, Colo./Chipotle Development)
Carson Miller (Bend, Ore./Jelly Belly p/b Kenda)
Anders Newbury (Fairfield, Conn./Chipotle Development)
Jacob Rathe (Portland, Ore./Chipotle Development)
Rob Squire (Sandy, Utah/Chipotle Development)
Larry Warbasse (Traverse City, Mich./BMC Racing)

The seven riders below were chosen by USA Cycling to compete in the second BMX Supercross in Papendal, Holland. Corben Sharrah (Tucson, Ariz./GT Bicycles) won the first Supercross in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, on April 9.

Men
David Herman (Wheat Ridge, Colo./Intense BMX)
Nic Long (Lakeside, Calif./Haro-Rockstar)
Josh Meyers (Treasure Island, Fla./Ssquared-Answer)
Corben Sharrah (Tucson, Ariz./GT Bicycles)

Women
Brooke Crain (Visalia, Calif./Haro-Rockstar)
Arielle Martin (Spanaway, Wash./Intense BMX)
Alise Post (St. Cloud, Minn./Redline Bicycles)

The group of USA Cycling mountain bikers listed below will contest the Offenburg World Cup in Offenburg, Germany:

U23 Men
Stephen Ettinger (Cashmere, Wash./BMC MTB Development)
Jack Hinkens (Eden Prairie, Minn./BMC MTB Development)
Kerry Werner (Banner Elk, N.C./BMC MTB Development)

U23 Women
Wesley Geer (Boulder, Colo./Tokyo Joe's)
Kaila Hart (Durango, Colo.)
Heidi Kloser (Vail, Colo.)
Erica Zaveta (Erwinna, Pa./BMC MTB Development)

Elite Women
Amy Dombroski (Boulder, Colo./Crank Brothers Race Club)
Chloe Forsman (Tucson, Ariz./BMC MTB Development)

Junior Women
Grace Alexander (Boise, Idaho/Boise Young Rider Dev Squad)
Alicia Rose Pastore (Durango, Colo./Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory DEVO Sweet Elite)
Shayna Powless (Roseville, Calif.)
Alexis Ryan (Ventura, Calif./The TEAM)

Junior Men
Tyler Coplea (Fountain Hills, Ariz./AZ Devo)
Ryan Geiger (Flagstaff, Ariz./AZ Devo)
Cypress Gorry (Payson, Ariz./AZ Devo)
Max Houtzager (Ross, Calif./Whole Athlete Specialized)
Keegan Swenson (Park City, Utah/Whole Athlete-Specialized)
Casey Williams (Big Bear City, Calif.)

The group of six junior USA Cycling riders will compete in the Le Tour du Pays de Vaud in Switzerland:

Collin Berry (Huntington Beach, Calif./NOW-MS Society)
Austin Boswell (Bend, Ore./Hot Tubes Development)
Gregory Daniel (Englewood, Colo./Chipotle Junior Development)
Matthew Lipscomb (Decatur, Ga./Hincapie Development Team)
Paul Lynch (Colchester, Conn./Hot Tubes Development)
Thomas Wrona (Pinehurst, N.C./Hot Tubes Development)

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.