2023-09-01 13:33:20
Jorgenson will face Neilson Powless in his first U.S. road race for the WorldTour rider in five years
WorldTour pro Matteo Jorgenson leads Team USA’s seven-rider roster at the second annual Maryland Cycling Classic, presented by UnitedHealthcare, on Sunday, September 3.
The 24-year-old Movistar rider from Boise, Idaho picked up a resounding victory at the Tour of Oman to start his season. He then finished eighth overall in Paris-Nice, second overall in the Tour de Romandie and third in the 12th stage of the Tour de France.
Jorgenson will be joined by National U23 Road Race Champion Owen Cole (Velocious Sport), US Pro Criterium silver medalist Colby Simmons (Jumbo-Visma Development) and Caleb Classen (Team California), who finished fifth in the GC at the Tour of the Gila and sixth. in the GC at the Joe Martin Stage Race while winning the best young driver jersey of both races.
There are two riders in the Aevolo program – Toby Klein, who won the bronze medal at the U23 Road Race National Championships, and Brooks Wienke, who finished third in the youth standings at the Tour of the Gila. Rounding out the list is Andrew Strohmeyer (Kelly Benefits Strategies Cycling), who finished in the top 10 at the elite men’s amateur road racing national championships.
“We are very excited regarding the team we are bringing to the Maryland Cycling Classic. This race was an important goal for us because it is the biggest race in the United States. Our team will be made up of both young and experienced riders,” said USA Cycling road director Tanner Putt.
“I’m really excited regarding the prospect of seeing our U23 riders racing with Matteo, who has gone through the USA Cycling development path. His presence will play a central role in helping our young riders continue their development towards professional racing.
A total of 16 teams will take part in the men’s UCI ProSeries one-day race, with Team USA taking on five WorldTour teams and four ProTeams. The Maryland Cycling Classic features a 120-mile course that begins in Sparks, Maryland, and ends with circuits in Baltimore’s famous Inner Harbor.
The last time Jorgenson raced in the United States was in 2018 as part of the Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis team, finishing in the top 20 at the Colorado Classic and winning silver at the US Nationals. in the U23 time trial.
“My next race should be the Maryland Cycling Classic with the USA Cycling National Team, which I’m excited for!! I haven’t raced as a pro in my own country yet and it will be cool to race in the (national) jersey in the only remaining pro race in the USA,” Jorgenson wrote on social media in early August.
Jorgenson will face in Maryland his compatriot Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost), third overall in the race last year. Powless and Jorgenson are the highest-ranked American road racers on the UCI World Rankings heading into September, with Powless 16th and Jorgenson 38th.
Both Jorgenson and Powless have competed in the Tour de France this year. Jorgenson finished fourth on a mountain stage to Puy de Dôme on Stage 9 and followed three stages later with a podium, taking third place, on a hilly run to Belleville- in. -Beaujolais. Powless finished sixth on the climb to Puy de Dôme and arrived in Paris fourth in the mountain classification.
Jorgenson, on the other hand, withdrew following Stage 15 due to a thigh muscle injury. He called his withdrawal from the Tour a “forced rest”, which turned into several weeks for his hamstrings to heal and also led him to withdraw from the USA team for the Road Worlds in Scotland. The US event will be his first return event.
The Idaho native will complete his fourth season with Movistar this year and join Jumbo-Visma in 2024 for the next three seasons.
Composition of the American team
Caleb Classen, 21 Owen Cole, 19 Matteo Jorgenson, 24 Toby Klein, 19 Colby Simmons, 19 Andrew Strohmeyer, 21 Brooks Wineke, 20
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