Category Archives: Cycling

Cycling, UCI Women's WorldTour

Megan Guarnier Opens in Fourth in Giro d’Italia Internazionale Femminile

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Megan Guarnier once again is right in the thick of the things as she bids to win her third straight UCI Women’s World Tour event. Guarnier was fourth in the quick opening prologue, three seconds back. Guarnier was joined by Evelyn Stevens in the top ten, six seconds back in tenth. Alexis Ryan made it three in the top 25 with a 25th place finish nine seconds back. The other Americans were outside the top 50 though not much ground was lost on this day. Amber Neben was 58th, Kristabel Doebel-Hickok was 62nd, and Scotti Lechuga was 84th.

Saturday will be a 64.6 mile stage. There will be regular stages all of the remaining days except for an individual time trial next Friday. The Giro d’Italia Internazionale Femminile wraps up on Sunday the 10th.

Previous Giro d’Italia Internazionale Femminile Coverage:
Preview

Cycling, UCI Men's World Tour

Five Americans Set to Compete in 2016 Tour de France

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The 2016 Tour de France is upon us and five Americans will be riding in the event this year including most of top finishers from the 2016 UCI World Tour system. Leading the pack of Americans is Tejay Van Garderen who just finished sixth in the Tour de Suisse last month and also finished fifth earlier in the year in the Volta a Cataluyna. The other American in the field who has a top 10 finish this year is Lawson Craddock who finished ninth in the Tour of the Basque Country.

Peter Stetina and Alex Howes each have top 25 finishes this year, Stetina was 22nd in the Tour de Suisse and Howes was 21st in the Liege-Bastogne-Liege race. The final American in the field is Brent Bookwalter whose best finish of the year was 35th in the Tour de Romandie.

None of the five Americans who are racing participated in the Giro d’Italia last month. The only American with a top 25 finish this season who is not participating in the tour is Andrew Talansky who finished fifth in the Tour de Suisse last month.

Beginning Saturday with the flat 117 mile opening stage the Tour de France will open with nine straight days of racing followed by a day off and seven more days of racing. After a second day of rest the races ends with five final days of racing. There are two time trials, one in stage 13 for 23 miles and one in the mountains in stage 18 for 11 miles.

Previous UCI World Tour Coverage:
Tour de Suisse Recap

Cycling, Mountain Bike

US Places Eighth in Team Relay at UCI Mountain Bike Cross Country World Championships

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The US team of Stephen Ettinger, Christopher Blevins, Lea Davison, and Keegan Swenson bounced around between eighth and 11th, eventually finishing eight and 1:53 behind the winning team from France. The US had Ettinger take the lead leg and were already 1:10 behind after that. They were fairly competitive in the middle legs, gaining five seconds on France over those two legs.

On Saturday seven Americans, including Davison, will take part in the women’s cross country race. Also in the field are Chloe Woodruff and Erin Huck.

UCI Mountain Bike Cross Country World Championships Coverage:
Preview
Wednesday Update

Cycling, UCI Women's WorldTour

Strong Field of Eight Americans to Compete in Giro d’Italia Internazionale Femminile

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Eight Americans will be in the field for the Giro d’Italia Internazionale Femminile starting on Friday, including two-time winner this year Megan Guarnier. Evelyn Stevens, who has finished in the top four three times, and Kristabel Doebel-Hickok, ninth in the Philadelphia International Cycling Classic provide more top ten depth. Scott Lechuga, 15th in Philadelphia, Mara Abbott, 17th in the Amgen Tour of California, and Amber Neben, 24th in California provides even more contenders.

Friday will be a 1.2 mile prologue that will provide a little separation at the start. There will be regular stages all of the remaining days except for an individual time trial next Friday. The Giro d’Italia Internazionale Femminile wraps up on Sunday the 10th.

Previous UCI Women’s WorldTour Coverage:
Aviva Women’s Tour Recap

Cycling, Mountain Bike

Kate Courtney Makes Eliminator Final at UCI Mountain Bike Cross Country World Championships

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Kate Courtney advanced from qualifying in the eliminator event on Wednesday but did not start the final as the competition began at the UCI Mountain Bike World Cross Country Championships in Nove Mesto na Morave, Czech Republic. Courtney finished 11th in the qualifying round, 9.6 seconds back, but did not start the 16-rider final.

The US will hope to have better luck on Thursday in the team relay event with Stephen Ettinger, Christopher Blevins, Lea Davison, and Keegan Swenson entered for the US.

UCI Mountain Bike Cross Country World Championships Coverage:
Preview

Cycling, Mountain Bike

UCI Mountain Bike World Championships for Cross Country Begin Wednesday

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Wednesday will be the kickoff for the five day UCI Mountain Bike World Championships for cross country in Nove Mesto na Morave, Czech Republic. Competition begins with the eliminator competitions before the team relay on Thursday and the main cross country races for the women on Saturday and the men on Sunday. The US will have Kate Courtney competing in the women’s elimination event while there are no US men entered in the men’s event.

Cycling, Mountain Bike

Howard Grotts Finishes Ninth at UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships

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Howard Grotts had a strong ride at the UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championship and finished in the top ten in ninth place. Grotts was over four minutes behind the winner, Tiago Jorge Oliveira Ferreira of Portugal, but the 23-year-old was the youngest finisher in the top 30. On the other side of the age spectrum 40-year-old Jeremiah Bishop finished 23rd while 41-year-old Todd Wells was 48th.

Next year’s marathon world championship will be held in Singen, Germany from June 24th-25th.

Previous UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championship Coverage:
Preview

Cycling, Mountain Bike

Three Americans Will Compete at UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships

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The UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championship will take place on Sunday in Laissac, France. The grueling annual race has never had an American medal in it and only three men will be taking part in it this year. Howard Grotts has had some success in cross country world cup events this year and is joined by Jeremiah Bishop and  Todd Wells in this event.

Cycling, UCI Women's WorldTour

Katie Hall Finishes 22nd in Aviva Women’s Tour

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Katie Hall finished in the peloton in 43rd on Sunday at the Aviva Women’s Tour and that was enough to keep Hall in the top 25, finishing 22nd and 3:45 back. It wasn’t her best finish of the year, she had been better at both the races on American soil, but it did make three straight top 25 finishes.

Tayler Wiles ended up finishing 72nd on Sunday and was the only other American to finish the event. She finished 46th overall, 17:06 back.

The next UCI Women’s WorldTour event is the Giro d’Italia Internazionale Femminile. It’s the longest race of the season, contested from July 1st through the 10th.

Previous Aviva Women’s Tour Coverage:
Preview
Wednesday Update
Thursday Update
Friday Update
Saturday Update

Cycling, UCI Men's World Tour

Andrew Talansky Finishes Tour de Suisse in Fifth, Tejay Van Garderen in Sixth

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Andrew Talansky wasn’t able to maintain his second place position at the Tour de Suisse during the final stage as he couldn’t stay with the leading pack of seven riders and finished in eighth, 56 seconds back. Those 56 seconds were enough to drop him from second to fifth overall, 1;04 back, still a great result for him. Talansky finished in the top eight of the last five stages of the race.

Finishing 22 seconds behind Talansky overall was Tejay Van Garderen who moved up one spot on the day after finishing fifth in the same time as the race winner. Van Garderen has now been in the top 10 of the last three races he entered on the UCI World Tour. Joe Dombrowski also finished the race on a good note with a 10th place finish Sunday, finishing with the same time as Talansky. Dombrowski ended up 26th, 29:16 back, a season best finish for him as well.

Peter Stetina was the fourth American in the top 30 as he was 3:54 back in 28th. He finished a season best 22nd overall, 23:56 back, and became only the fifth American to finish in the top 25 of a race this season. Kiel Reijnen finished 66th, his best stage of the race and only his second top 100 finish, while Ian Boswell rounded out the six top 100 American finishers with a 90th place finish. Boswell was 37th overall, 39:53 back.

 

The next race on the UCI World Tour is the big one, the Tour de France, starting July 2nd and running through the 24th.

Previous Tour de Suisse Coverage:
Preview
Stage One Recap
Stage Two Recap
Stage Three Recap
Stage Four Recap
Stage Five Recap
Stage Six Recap
Stage Seven Recap
Stage Eight Recap