U.S. champion Megan Guarnier was one of three Boels – Dolmans women to finish in the top-five at Ronde van Vlaanderen. Photo: Tim De Waele | TDWsport.com
Welcome to Americans Abroad, our weekly check-in with the U.S. riders in the professional peloton. VeloNews will publish these updates every Monday throughout the season.
Megan Guarnier continued her successful spring campaign Sunday at the Women’s Tour of Flanders in Belgium. Guarnier and her Boels – Dolmans teammates also continued their dominance in WorldTour races with Elizabeth Armitstead winning her first Ronde. Guarnier sprinted to fourth, behind teammate Chantal Blaak.
Guarnier also raced the Pajot Hills Classic in Belgium Wednesday, where she came in second in a sprint behind a resurgent Marianne Vos. This non-WorldTour event was an opportunity for the peloton to test their legs ahead of Flanders.
Cannondale Pro Cycling
The Cannondale men stayed on in Spain following the Volta a Catalunya last week, racing the one-day, 192-kilometer Gran Premio Miguel Indurain. The team brought four American riders to the start in Estella: Nathan Brown finished 11th; Alex Howes was 32nd; Ben King, 14th; and Phil Gaimon did not finish.
Tyler Farrar (Dimension Data)
Farrar took to the start in Bruges to ride the 255 kilometers around Oudenaarde in the Ronde van Vlaanderen. He finished in 117th overall 12:48 behind the winner, Peter Sagan.
Katie Hall (UnitedHealthcare)
Hall also raced twice in Belgium this week and was 81st at Pajot Hills and 62nd at the Tour of Flanders.
Sara Headley (Podium ambition)
Headley raced both the Pajot Hills Classic and Flanders as well. She finished 57th at Pajot Hills but was unable to finish the Ronde.
Gavin Mannion (Drapac)
Mannion was the lone American in the one-day Paris-Camembert. He crossed the line in 53rd place, 6:47 behind Cyril Gautier (Ag2r La Mondiale).
Taylor Phinney (BMC)
Phinney was surprised by his addition to the BMC squad for the Tour of Flanders. In a race marred by crashes for his team, he managed 61st.
Well, we expected war today but stepping on a land mine was not in the plan. Send your love to @GregVanAvermaet @michaelschaer @MBurghardt83
— Taylor Phinney (@taylorphinney) April 3, 2016
Coryn Rivera (UnitedHealthcare)
Like most of the American women in the peloton, Rivera raced at the Pajot Hills Classic on Thursday and the Tour of Flanders Sunday. She rode two solid races, finishing 13th at Pajot Hills Classic and 16th at the Tour of Flanders.
Alexis Ryan (Canyon – SRAM)
Ryan only raced Flanders this week, where she finished 87th.
Carmen Small (Cervelo – Bigla)
Small was in Belgium Thursday, but did not take the start line of the Tour of Flanders Sunday. She finished 22nd at Pajot Hills, six seconds behind Vos.
Evelyn Stevens (Boels – Dolmans)
Evelyn Stevens raced for the first time this season, after beating the hour record back in February. At Pajot Hills, she finished 31st. She was 63rd at the Tour of Flanders, riding in support of Armitstead.
Pumped to get the opportunity to race over these tomorrow ! Looking forward to my 3rd RvV and 1st #UCIWWT pic.twitter.com/Jr9Rjl3SuA — Evelyn Stevens (@evelyn_stevens) April 2, 2016
Alison Tetrick (Cylance)
Tetrick finished 82nd and 66th in the Pajot Hills Classic and the Tour of Flanders, respectively.
Tibco – SVB
Team Tibco – SVB took women to Pajot Hills and Tour of Flanders as well. Brianna Walle, Lauren Komanski, and Lauren Stephens raced in Pajot Hills. Walle finished first of the three, in 69th overall. Komanski was 84th and Stephens was 89th. At the Tour of Flanders, it was Lauren Stephens, Lauren Hall, Lauren Komanski, and Brianna Walle. Only Walle and Komanski finished, in 23rd and 109th, respectively.
Twenty16 – Sho-Air
Twenty16 took Jessica Cerra, Kailtlin Antonneau, and Leah Thomas to Flanders. All three ladies finished; Antonneau was the first across the line, in 65th, followed by Cerra, 77th and Thomas in 84th.
Tayler Wiles (Orica – AIS)
Wiles focused all of her efforts on the Pajot Hills Classic this week, where she earned her best result since January. She finished 24th, six seconds behind Vos.
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