The riders of LUX/Sideshow p/b Specialized started their successful 2020 campaign with Valley of the Sun Stage Race in Arizona (2/14-16), followed by the Tour of the Southern Highlands in Georgia, (2/28-3/1).
Valley of the Sun Stage Race
No doubt our early season preparations contributed to both the men’s and women’s teams stellar outcomes during the first two races of 2020. In the Pro Women’s race Summer Moak won Time Trial, Road Race and the overall with the team holding off an aggressive nine rider Twenty20 team. Zoe Ta-Perez was 3rd in the time trial with Kaia Schmid the winner of the Criterium.
Our best junior men rode the Pro 1 race with Matthew Riccitello 3rd in the Time Trial and 3rd overall and Luke Lamperti winning the road race and taking 2nd in the criterium. The riders in the Junior National Team Selection race fought a tactical battle with Hot Tubes, taking the GC lead in the Road Race and then defending 2 seconds advantage in the criterium. Kyle Chromy lead the team and took home the overall win with newcomer Blake Wray taking 3rd overall and Colby Simmons 7th.
After Valley of the Sun a number of our athletes from colder regions went to California were the team supported the athletes with a camp to put in more miles leading to the European National Team Racing Blocks on the schedule.
Tour of the Southern Highlands
In Georgia, at Tour of the Southern Highlands the team again opened strong with Summer and Zoe going 1-2 in the Pro Women’s TT with Summer top three in each of the next three stages and 2nd overall, Kaia 3rd in the circuit race and Zoe 4th overall.
In the Pro Men’s Race Matthew was 2nd in the TT, 4th in the road race and 4th overall. Luke won again in the Criterium and was 6th in the Road Race and Logan was 4th in the circuit race and 6th overall. The Junior National Team Selection event again saw Kyle win the overall with Colby 2nd and Blake 5th. It was impressive watching the boys put on a clinic in the criterium forming a lead out train to set up a 1-2-3 finish giving Kyle the win with Colby 2nd and Ian 3rd, and then dominate the road race with Colby 1st and Blake 2nd.
Up next for the riders is the first Junior Men’s National Team Trip for Gent Wevelgem and Paris Roubaix with Luke Lamperti, Kyle Chromy, Colby Simmons and Jared Scott. The other Junior Men will be at Joe Martin stage Race doing the 1-2 race. Our elite women will do the UCI race at Joe Martin with Summer Moak leading the team. Our junior women will be in California at a LUX training camp to finish their base and tune before Redlands and the first National Team trip to France and Spain.
Thanks to our sponsors for providing the best resources/equipment available, and thanks to our amazing coaches whose never-ending support and trust empower our teams to new levels of success.
Roy