The USA Cycling National Team (and Colorado!) will have a solid representation at the 2023 Tour de France.
The average age of these phenomenal cyclists competing on the world’s biggest cycling stage is a mere 25 years. Here’s a snapshot of the six Americans (last year there were seven) who will be among the 176-person peloton competing in the 110th edition of the Tour starting this Saturday in Bilbao, Spain.
Lawson Craddock The 31-year-old will be riding for Team Jayco AlUla (Australia). Craddock has had a colorful history with the Tour. In stage one of the 2018 Tour, he crashed violently and caused a hairline fracture in his scapula. He continued to race despite the injury, and photos of his bloodied face at the finish line were circulated widely. He is the only American to be awarded the lanterne rouge.
Matteo Jorgenson will be riding for Movistar Team (Spain). This will be the second Tour for the soon to be 24-year-old (his birthday is July 1). In addition to supporting GC rider Enric Mas, he will be seeking stage wins (he finished fourth in stages 10 and 16 of the 2022 Tour). So far, 2023 has been a fantastic year: he won the Tour of Oman in February and second at the Tour of Romandie. He is considered a strong contender for the maillot blanc in this year’s Tour.
Colorado’s very own “Durango Kid” Sepp Kuss will return to the Tour with Jumbo-Visma (Nederlands) to support teammate and defending Tour champion Jonas Vingegaard. This will be the 28-year-old’s fourth appearance at the Tour.
His efforts were instrumental in two Jumbo-Visma Grand Tour Wins in the last year: Tour 2022 and the Giro D’Italia 2023. Notably, he won Stage 15 Céret to Andorra la Vella (Andorra) in the 2021 Tour (the last time a U.S. rider won a Tour stage was Tyler Farrar in 2011).
Riding for EF Education-Easy Post (United States) is Neilson Powless. The 26-year-old is making his third appearance at the Tour. Eagle-eyed cycling fans will recognize Powless from one of the most thrilling episodes of Netflix’s Tour de France: Unchained (2023) episode 5 “Breakneck Speed” on the Alpe d’Huez. He will be looking for a stage win this year.
Another Colorado (and Durango!) native Quinn Simmons will be making his second appearance at the Tour with Lidl-Trek (United States). The 22-year-old won his first elite men’s title at the U.S. Pro Road Race National Championships last Sunday.
Although not part of the USA Cycling National Team, American Kevin Vermaerke will ride with Team DSM-Firmenich (GER). This is the second Tour (he broke his collarbone in a crash during Stage 8 in 2022) for the 22-year-old American and remarkably, his third year with Team DSM-Firmenich.
Photo Credits: Team USA Cycling, DSM-Firmenich.
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