Amos Wins in Andorra 1130x600
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Team USA

Team USA Recap: Amos Takes Gold and Silver, and Pinkerton Earns First World Cup Gold at UCI MTB World Cup; Riccitello Takes 4th at Tour de L’Avenir

By: Anne Stein  August 30, 2023

We recap the latest in American bike racing from the past three weeks (August 5-August 27)

MOUNTAIN BIKE

UCI MTB World Cup: Vallnord, Andorra

(August 23-27)Riley Amos (Trek Factory Racing) placed first in the men’s U23 XCO with Ryan Pinkerton (GT-Continental Factory Racing) earning his first World Cup win in the Junior Downhill race at the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Andorra.

With a promising second place in the U23 Short Track days prior, Amos knew he had it in him for another podium in XCO on Sunday. Amos became the first American man to win a U23 World Cup in Leogang in 2021, and has been fighting for that top spot again ever since. This weekend, he was finally able to take the victory in Andorra.

Pinkerton has been so close to winning this season, putting down several of the fastest qualifying times and coming up just a second short in Val di Sole. He backed up his first place in qualifying and took his first-ever World Cup win.

Beyond the podium, Team USA earned a number of top-10 spots. Evan Medcalf (Evolve Racing) was 4th in Junior Downhill, while Bjorn Riley (Trek Future Racing) was 5th in men’s U23 XCO and 7th in U23 XCC. Madigan Munro (Trek Factory Racing) placed 7th in women’s U23 XCO, while Savilia Blunk (Rockrider Racing) and Kate Courtney (Scott-SRAM) placed 9th and 10th in Women’s Elite XCO.

Gwendalyn Gibson (Trek Factory Racing) was 10th in women’s Elite XCC.

Luca Shaw (Canyon Collective Factory Team) placed 10th in men’s elite downhill, while Abby Ronca (The Gravity Academy) and Taylor Ostgaard (Transition Factory Racing) placed 8th and 9thin Junior Women’s Downhill.

Complete results here

Leadville Trail 100 MTB: Leadville, Colorado

(August 12) – For the third year in a row, Keegan Swenson (Santa Cruz Bicycles) won the Leadville Trail 100, this time setting a new course record of 5:43:29 and coming in 24 minutes ahead of his closest competitor. Leadville Trail 100 MTB is the fourth stop of the seven-race Life Time off-road series, and Swenson has swept all four races.

The 105-mile course starts at 10,000-plus feet, reaches 12,424 feet, then turns around and heads back to Leadville.

Sofia Gomez Villafane (Specialized) won the woman’s race, also her fourth win in a row in the series. It was a tighter contest, with second place Ruth Winder coming in just 1:24 behind. Next up in the series is the Chequamegon MTB Festival on September 16 in Cable, Wisconsin.

Pro Men: Keegan Swenson (Santa Cruz Bicycles), Alexey Vermeulen (Jukebox-Shimano-Q+M), John Gaston (STRAFE)

Pro Women: Sofia Gomez Villafane (Specialized), Ruth Winder (Trek), Alexis Skarda (Santa Cruz Bicycles)

Complete results here

SBT GRVL: Steamboat Springs, Colorado

(August 20)Keegan Swenson (Santa Cruz Bicycles) and Sofia Gomez Villafane (Specialized) dominated the off-road world for a second weekend in a row, each winning SBT Gravel in Steamboat Springs – and taking the Leadboat title by winning both races.

The pros took on the 142-mile black course, which includes 100 miles of gravel and more than 10,000 feet of elevation gain. Swenson won the race last year.

Pro Men: Keegan Swenson (Santa Cruz Bicycles), Petr Vakoc, Alexey Vermeulen (Jukebox-Shimano-Q+M)

Pro Women: Sofia Gomez Villafane (Specialized), Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon-SRAM), Flavia Oliveira Parks

Complete results here

ROAD

Tour de L’Avenir: France

(August 20-27)Matthew Riccitello (Israel-Premier Tech) placed fourth overall at the Tour de l’Avenir, known as the U23 Tour de France. Riccitello, 21, held the yellow race leader’s jersey for three days going into the stage 9 final, but lost time on the final summit stage and ended up 4th – missing out on a podium spot by 16 seconds.

Over the course of 9 days of racing, Riccitello scored his second-ever pro win, on Stage 7, and was 2nd on Stage 6.

Complete results here

Arctic Race of Norway: Norway

(August 17-20)Kevin Vermaerke (Team DSM-firmenich) earned the first stage race podium of his pro career at the Arctic Race of Norway. Vermaerke, 22, placed 3rd overall and 1st in the Young Rider category, thanks to time bonuses he picked up during the fourth and final stage of the chilly, windy race.

Complete results here

Vuelta a Burgos: Spain

(August 15-19) – With three top-10 finishes at the Vuelta a Burgos, Sean Quinn (EF Education-EasyPost) placed 5th in the Young Rider category and was 16th overall in the five-stage race, a prelude to the Tour of Spain.

Complete results here

Littleton Twilight Criterium: Littleton, Colorado

(August 5) – Race number eight in the 10-race American Criterium Cup series hit Colorado, with Jordan Parra (American Cycling Group) winning the pro men’s race and Kendall Ryan (L39ION of Los Angeles) defending her title while scoring her fifth win of the season.

Pro Men: Jordan Parra (American Cycling Group), Clever Martinez (Miami Nights), Dusan Kalaba (ButcherBox Cycling p/b LOOK)

Pro Women: Kendall Ryan (L39ION of Los Angeles), Valentina Scandolara (Denver Disruptors), Paola Muñoz (Miami Nights)

Complete results here

IU Health Momentum Indy Criterium: Indianapolis

(August 26) – L39ION of Los Angeles took the men’s and women’s wins at next American Criterium Cup in Indianapolis. Tyler Magner won on the men’s side, while Kendall Ryan won the pro woman’s race, followed by teammate Skylar Schneider. The series wraps up on September 3 in St. Louis, Missouri.

Pro Men: Tyler Magner (L39ION of Los Angeles), Jamie Castaneda (ACG), Brandon Feehery (Miami Blazers)

Pro Women: Kendall Ryan (L39ION of Los Angeles), Skylar Schneider (L39ION of Los Angeles), Marlies Mejias Garcia (Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY24)

Complete results here

USA Cycling Masters and Para-Cycling Road National Championships: Augusta, Georgia

(August 23-27) – Seven hundred athletes from 43 states gathered in Augusta, Georgia for five days of racing at Fort Gordon and downtown Augusta, competing for national championship honors in 92 Masters and Para Road cycling categories.

Round-up story here

Complete results and national championship titles here

TRACK

USA Cycling Masters Track National Championships: Rock Hill, South Carolina

(August 8-13) – One hundred and three titles were awarded over six days of racing at this year’s Masters Track Nationals, held at Rock Hill Velodrome in South Carolina.

Round-up story here

Complete results here

UCI Junior Track World Championships: Cali, Colombia

(August 23-27) – Seven athletes represented the US at the 2023 UCI Junior Track World Championships, held over five days in Cali, Colombia. Junior National Champion Reagan Pattishall (EDGE Cycling) earned 4th in the Women’s Points Race, and Annika Flanigan (EDGE Cycling) unofficially set a new national record in the 17-18 500m TT with her time of 35.461.

Other athletes who competed were: Jonah Hover (EDGE Cycling), Luke Fetzer (Hot Tubes Development Cycling Team), Alejandro Che (Team Velosport), Divya Verma (EDGE Cycling) and Grayson Hauck (Star Track).

Complete results here