Andrew Talansky (Garmin-Sharp)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Marra Abbott (UnitedHealthcare) takes home the race winners bowl(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Daniel Holloway will race with Mike's Bikes, but hopes to go back to the pro level(Image credit: Martina Patella)
Carter Jones (Optum) going hard on the way to taking the leaders jersey.(Image credit: Epic Images)
North American pros continued to celebrate strong performances in both the US and overseas events last week. The USA Cycling’s National Racing Calendar (NRC) was updated following round four at Tour of the Gila and the USA Crits Speed Week wrapped up on Saturday. In addition, many of the continent’s top-level riders are racing overseas stage races, preparing for bigger races down the line. Check out a few of the highlights from the peloton.
McCabe and Abbott top NRC standings after Tour of the Gila
Travis McCabe (Team SmartStop) held onto his overall lead of the National Racing Calendar (NRC) following the fourth round at the Tour of the Gila held from April 30 to May 4 in Silver City, New Mexico. Carter Jones (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) won the overall title by two seconds ahead of Gregory Obando Brenes (Jamis-Hagens Berman) and four seconds to Rob Britton (Team SmartStop).
Mara Abbott (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling) moved into the overall lead of the NRC series after securing the elite women’s title at the Tour of the Gila. She won the stage race by more than four minutes ahead of Flavia Oliveira (FCS|Zngine p/b Mr. Restore) and Abigail Mickey (Twenty19 Pro Cycling).
Holloway wins USA Crits Speed Week and Dana Point Grand Prix
Daniel Holloway wrapped up a successful week of racing with a series of wins on both the east coast and the west coast. The sprinter won the overall title at the USA Crits Speed Week after winning the five criteriums: Athens Twilight , Historic Roswell, Downtown Walterboro, Spartanburg Regional Classic and Gaffney Criterium, held from April 26 to May 3 in Georgia and South Carolina.
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He went on to win the National Racing Calendar's (NCC) Dana Point Grand Prix on Sunday, May 4 in California. Next up on the NCC is the Wilmington Grand Prix on May 17 in Delaware.
Sam Schneider (Tibco-To The Top) won the elite women’s overall title at Speed Week ahead of veteran sprinter Tina Pic (Fearless Femme), who won the first three rounds.
Andrew Talansky shows early-season form at Tour of Romandie
American Andrew Talansky (Garmin-Sharp) showed his strength during the Tour of Romandie after finishing the WorldTour stage race in 11th place overall, just over two and a half minutes behind overall winner Chris Froome (Team Sky). He finished fifth during the shortened stage 1, 16th in stage 2, 10th in the "queen" stage 3 and 22nd in the stage 4 time trial. His fellow countryman Tejay van Garderen (BMC Racing) went into the race as the team leader, however a crash in the prologue forced him to lose over three minutes in the overall classification and he abandoned the race during the third stage. The five-day race was held from April 29 to May 4 in Switzerland.
UnitedHealthcare secures mountain jersey in Turkey
American professional continental team UnitedHealthcare’s Marc de Maar earned the red climber’s jersey at the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey that started on April 27 in Alanya and concluded on May 4 in Istanbul. Stage 3 winner Rein Taaramae (Cofidis, Solutions Credits) kicked off the mountains classification, tied in points with De Maar’s teammate Davide Frattini. De Maar jumped ahead the pair after picking up a series of additional points during Stage 5. Briton Adam Yates (Orica-GreenEdge) won the overall title ahead of teammates Taaramae and Romain Hardy. Canada's Guillaume Boivin (Cannondale) was apart of a strong lead-out for his team's stage 5 and 7 winner Elia Viviani.
North American women take on the Women’s Tour of Britain
The UCI 2.1 Women’s Tour of Britain kicks off on Wednesday, May 7 in Oundle and concludes on Sunday, May 11 in Bury St Edmunds, in east England. Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies is sending a team of capable riders that includes Americans Lauren Hall, who won Gent-Wevelgem, Janel Holcomb and national road champion Jade Wilcoxson, along with Canadians national road and time trial champion Joëlle Numainville, criterium champion Leah Kirchmann and Denise Ramsden. UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling’s roster includes Americans Olympic silver medalist Lauren Tamayo and Cari Higgins, Kate Hall and Ruth Winder. Canada’s Karol-Ann Canuel will be competing with her team Specialized-lululemon.
Stay tuned to Cyclingnews next Tuesday for our next weekly edition of race recaps and previews of what’s ahead in the North American road racing scene.
