Americans Abroad: Tejay's strong showing in Romandie

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

Tejay van Garderen raced against some of the top Tour favorites last week in the Tour of Romandie, a race that defending Tour champion Chris Froome (Sky) has won on two occasions (2013 and 2014). This year, however, was Nairo Quintana’s turn to shine. BMC’s leader was 10th overall, 1:21 behind the Movistar winner and beat Froome, who came in 38th.

Van Garderen showed his time-trialling prowess throughout the week, coming in ninth in both the prologue and stage 3’s individual time trial. He also showed his climbing form, finishing fifth in the king of the mountains competition.

Brent Bookwalter (BMC)

Bookwalter was one of Van Garderen’s main helpers in Switzerland throughout the week. He came in 35th overall, 19:17 behind Quintana, and BMC’s second-best finisher. His best finish was stage 3’s ITT, where he came in 26th.

Nate Brown (Cannondale)

Brown was also in Switzerland last week. He was Cannondale’s second-best finisher in 29th, 17:18 behind Quintana. Riding in support of new teammate Rigoberto Uran (who did not start stage 5), Brown’s best finish was also in the stage 3 time trial, where he came in 36th.

Adrien Costa (Axeon Hagens Berman)

The 18-year-old Costa became the first American to win the seven-stage Tour de Bretagne in France. After a solo victory on stage 4, the queen stage, he was able to hold onto the overall lead and seal the victory.

Joe Dombrowski (Cannondale)

Dombrowski was the second of three American helpers for Uran in Romandie. He finished 44th overall.

Caleb Fairly (Giant – Alpecin)

Fairly was one of the riders with John Degenkolb in his first race back from injury following the training crash in January. Both Fairly and Degenkolb abandoned the Eschborn-Frankfurt race in Germany Sunday.

Chad Haga (Giant – Alpecin)

Haga was the lone American riding for GC hopeful Tom Dumoulin in the Tour of Romandie. While helping his team leader come in fifth overall, Haga was 69th.

Sara Headley (Podium Ambition)

Headley finished 20th in the women’s Tour de Yorkshire one-day race on Saturday.

Carter Jones (Giant – Alpecin)

Jones was one of two Americans racing the Tour de Yorkshire in England this week. He finished the race in 77th, 24:04 behind the winner Thomas Voeckler (Direct Energie).

Joey Rosskopf (BMC)

Rosskopf was the second American in England, racing Yorkshire. He finished 20th overall after finishing stage 3 in 20th place.

Peter Stetina (Trek – Segafredo)

Stetina was Trek – Segafredo’s lone American helping Bauke Mollema in Romandie. He was 46th overall and his team’s Dutch leader ended the six-day race in ninth place.

Carmen Small (Cervelo – Bigla)

Small raced Elsy Jacobs in Luxembourg over the weekend. She won the mountains competition and finished 17th overall.

Andrew Talansky (Cannondale)

Talansky was the final American helper for Uran at Romandie. He came in 105th overall, and Talansky’s best stage was the individual time trial, where he came in 40th.

Team USA

The American national team raced the Festival Elsy Jacobs race in Luxembourg from Friday through Sunday. The team consisted of Holly Breck, Gretchen Stumhofer, Alya Trafiacnte, Madeleine Boutet, and Laurel Rathbun. Only Stumhofer finished the whole race, coming in 67th overall. Her best result was 48th in stage 1.

Alison Tetrick (Cylance)

Tetrick was the second of two women at the Yorkshire race and finished 36th.

Alexey Vermeulen (LottoNL – Jumbo)

Vermeulen rounded out the crew of Ameicans in Romandie. The 21 year-old was ninth in the young rider competition and 65th overall. His best stage was stage 4, the difficult mountain stage, where he came in 54th. Up next, the 21-year-old returns stateside for the Tour of California.