Americans Abroad: How the Yanks fared at the TDF
The Tour is in the books, and all five Americans who started the race finished in Paris. Here's a look at how they fared, plus La Course results.
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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.
With another Tour de France in the books, let’s take a look at how the race’s five Americans fared. Their final GC results are below, but that doesn’t tell the entire story.
One of the biggest highlights is Pete Stetina’s return to the world’s biggest race. Though the 28-year-old was racing for his Trek – Segafredo leader Bauke Mollema, rather than individual glory, finishing the Tour is a huge milestone for Stetina who suffered a traumatic crash and injury at the Vuelta al Pais Vasco in 2015.
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Cannondale – Drapac likely leaves France a bit disappointed after pocketing zero stage wins and seeing GC hope Pierre Rolland fall short of a top finish, but Alex Howes and Lawson Craddock both had solid rides. Howes figured in a few notable breakaways. He looks to be a stage-hunter in the making. Craddock, 24, was racing his first career Tour, and to ride all the way to Paris is an achievement for the Texan.
Tejay van Garderen and Brent Bookwalter have a bit less to crow about, in terms of individual results. However, they should be happy to see BMC teammate Richie Porte gut out a hard-fought fifth-place overall finish after some bad luck early in the race. Plus, Greg Van Avermaet won stage 5.
Brent Bookwalter (BMC)
The 32-year-old finished 117th overall in the Tour.
Lawson Craddock (Cannondale – Drapac)
In his first career Tour, Craddock finished 124th overall.
Lauren Hall (Tibco – SVB)
At La Course on Sunday, Hall finished 58th.
Alex Howes (Cannondale – Drapac)
Riding his second career Tour de France, Howes ended up 131st overall.
Coryn Rivera (UnitedHealthcare)
Rivera, a top sprinter, was likely disappointed to finish 92nd at La Course. She did, however, win the final stage of Thüringen Rundfahrt on Thursday.
Alexis Ryan (Canyon – SRAM)
Ryan, 21, finished 39th at La Course.
Lauren Stephens (Tibco – SVB)
After featuring in a dangerous late-race breakaway of three women, Stephens finished 80th at La Course.
Pete Stetina (Trek – Segafredo)
Stetina rode to 46th overall at the Tour.
Tejay van Garderen (BMC)
Van Garderen, twice fifth-place overall at the Tour, was likely disappointed to finish just 29th overall in Paris.
Tayler Wiles (Orica – AIS)
Wiles finished 93rd at La Course.
La Course DNFs
La Course was marred by several large crashes in the final 10km of racing. Five Americans did not finish the race: Brianna Walle and Kendall Ryan (Tibco), Lauren Tamayo and Katie Hall (UnitedHealthcare), and Alison Tetrick (Cylance).