Americans Abroad: Olympics team confirmed

Welcome to Americans Abroad, our weekly check-in with the Americans in the European peloton. VeloNews will publish these updates every Monday throughout the season.

With the Olympic Games starting in Rio de Janeiro in a few weeks, the USA’s cycling roster is completely set, after an arbitration panel upheld the selections for the women’s team.

Carmen Small and Amber Neben lost their respective cases last week. Both finished ahead of Kristin Armstrong, who was named to the Olympic squad, in the U.S. national time trial championships, but they were left off the Olympic team. The arbitrations sparked a debate about whether or not USA Cycling should bring back Olympic trials, like many sports have, in order to select a team.  

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Brent Bookwalter (BMC)

Heading into the final rest day of the Tour de France on Tuesday, Bookwalter sat 149th overall. His best finish of the race was 83rd in stage 15 into Culoz.

Lawson Craddock (Cannondale – Drapac)

Lawson Craddock is riding his first Tour de France in support of Pierre Rolland, who gave up his GC goals last week. Craddock sat in 109th overall heading into the final rest day of the Tour.

Alex Howes (Cannondale – Drapac)

Howes has spent a few days in the breakaway during the Tour. After stage 16 on Monday, he was 135th overall.

Team Illuminate

Continental outfit Team Illuminate sent three U.S. riders to China the race the Tour of Qinghai Lake. Brothers Griffin and Cullen Easter and Connor McCutcheon travelled to China in support of Australian Scott Sunderland. After Monday’s stage, Griffin Easter was the top-placed American, in 54th. McCutcheon was 92nd overall, and Cullen Easter was 120th, all 12 seconds behind race leader Vitaliy Buts (Kolls BDC).

Amber Pierce (Vitalogic Astrokalb Radunion No)

After Sunday’s stage 3 in Thuringen Rundfahrt der Frauen, Pierce sat 105th overall, 38:11 behind race leader Olga Zabelinskaya (Russia).

Alexis Ryan (Canyon – SRAM)

Ryan sat in 68th place after Sunday’s third stage of Thuringen Rundfahrt. Her best result so far was in stage 1, where she came in 12th.

Peter Stetina (Trek – Segafredo)

Riding in support of Bauke Mollema, who is second-place overall, Pete Stetina was the second-best American in the Tour after Monday’s stage, in 49th overall, 1:20:34 behind Froome.

Tibco – SVB

Tibco – SVB sent Lauren Stephens, Lauren Hall, Kendall Ryan, and Brianna Walle to Germany for Thuringen Rundfahrt. Of the four riders, Brianna Walle was the best placed after stage 3, in 20th. Stephens was next, in 54th, then Hall, 81st, and Ryan was 97th overall.

UnitedHealthcare Women

The UnitedHealthcare ladies started Thuringen Rundfahrt with three riders: Coryn Rivera, Katie Hall, and Abigail Mickey. Mickey withdrew during stage 3. After the stage, Rivera was the top-placed American, in 12th, 58 seconds behind Zabelinskaya. Hall was in 48th, 1:37 back.

Tejay van Garderen (BMC)

America’s top GC hopeful for the Tour was in eighth place after Monday’s stage 16. Van Garderen got dropped on the final climb Sunday and dropped two places in the overall. After Monday, he was 4:47 behind Chris Froome (Sky), the race leader.

Alexey Vermeulen (LottoNL – Jumbo)

Vermeulen raced in Poland at the Tour de Pologne, finishing in 90th overall.

Larry Warbasse (IAM Cycling)

Warbasse was in Poland racing the Tour de Pologne and ended the race as the top American in seventh, 5:47 behind Tim Wellens.

Tayler Wiles (Orica – AIS)

After stage 3 of Thuringen Rundfahrt, Wiles was in 47th overall, 1:37 back from Zabelinskaya.