Watch for the Kiwis!
When word came out roughly 2½ years ago about the Trek-Livestrong team I got an email from a former teammate and current Team Sky rider, Greg Henderson.
Watch for the Kiwis,
When word came out roughly 2½ years ago about the Trek-Livestrong team I got an email from a former teammate and current Team Sky rider, Greg Henderson. He wanted to let me know that New Zealand had unbelievably talented young riders who needed support and development. New Zealand had just won the bronze medal in the team pursuit at the Olympics and a couple of those riders were young and wanted to make it into the ProTour ranks.
Sam Bewley and Jesse Sergent were the two riders I hired off that New Zealand squad for my team. Right away, I could see their talent, but they really lacked the endurance and experience for the road scene.
Bewley had a strong year with us and got promoted to the 2010 Radio Shack team. Sergent still had one more year in the U23 category and I thought he really needed that time to develop. He was always strong in the time trials but struggled in the more hilly races. I told him that if he wanted to move up to the ProTour ranks he would have to climb better, especially if he wanted to survive stage racing in Europe.
He won the time trial at the Tour of the Gila, beating to everyone’s surprise Levi Leipheimer, Dave Zabriskie, Tom Danielson, Lance Armstrong, etc… His consistency through the whole stage race in front of Johan Bruyneel earned him a spot on the 2011 Radio Shack team.
Last week, both Jesse and Sam performed unbelievably well in the “Three Days of West Flanders,” a small stage race in Belgium. Jesse won the time trial and Sam placed third. Thanks to a strong performance by the whole Radio Shack team, Jesse ended up winning the overall in the stage race, becoming the second New Zealander to win a stage race in Europe, following Julian Dean in 2004.
With three New Zealanders on the 2011 Trek-Livestrong team, I still belief that New Zealand is the new up-and-coming cycling nation — just like Australia was a few years ago. Michael Vink, Josh Atkins and George Bennett were riding really strong at our training camp last week in Solvang, showing their talent, commitment and great work ethic. I am sure they will follow both Sam Bewley and Jesse Sergent and develop into successful and reliable professionals. They will have to keep working hard and hats off to them for taking on the challenge of moving half way around the world at such a young age. But just in case they are reading this blog, keep working hard because you are only as good as your last race…
Go New Zealand!
