With two wins in Spain already deposited for this early spring, Crew AlUla Jayco seems to proceed their Spanish conquests at Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Del Sol, February 14-18. US rider Lawson Craddock makes his season debut to drive the ‘engine room’, and help GC efforts of Alessandro De Marchi.
For Craddock, the yr begins his 14th skilled season, and eleventh on the WorldTour degree. The 31-year-old Texan had confirmed his versatility in stage racing for Crew Big then EF Training earlier than shifting to Jayco in 2022. It by no means appeared to disturb his quiet manner when his position was described as a help rider. The 2-time US Professional time trial champion mentioned chances are you’ll not see him ‘put up my palms on the finish of the day’ however that’s not what drives him.
“The crew considers me to be a part of their engine room, which is a bunch of fellows that the crew will put into actually any sort of race or state of affairs. It’s sort of the group of fellows that do the grunt work, the soiled work, you recognize, driving the entrance, spending plenty of time within the wind, being there late for the leaders,” Craddock instructed Cyclingnews from his residence in Texas earlier than starting his third season with Jayco AlUla in Spain.
“The crew positively places plenty of emphasis on that group of riders, and the fellows that we contemplate the engine room have plenty of enjoyable, working for one another. We’re actually lucky that we’re on a crew that has such nice leaders. We’ve guys that may win throughout any stage, actually. Whether or not you are the chief or a part of the engine room, that position is appreciated from prime to backside.”
To this point this yr, Craddock’s teammates have proved his level about profitable nearly anyplace. Among the many sprinters, Dylan Groenewegen gained Clàssica Comunitat Valenciana 1969 and Michael Matthews adopted the subsequent day with an uphill victory at Gran Premio Castellón. On the AlUla Tour, Simon Yates grabbed the GC with a hilltop victory on the fifth and closing day of racing, whereas Caleb Ewan took the win on stage 1 of the Tour of Oman.
It’s the primary time Craddock has lined up for the five-day stage race in southern Spain, which has been round for 99 years. It’s one of many early-season occasions the place the nice and cozy climate and diversified terrain present a strong measurement of winter coaching and evaluation for the upcoming Classics. Final yr Tadej Pogačar gained the general, and this yr his teammates Tim Wellens and Juan Ayuso led the cost for UAE Crew Emirates.
The 2024 Ruta Del Sol kicks off with a really hilly stage within the province of Granada between Almuñecar and Cadiar, adopted by an uphill end in Alcaudete on stage 2 throughout cobblestones. There isn’t any time trial this yr, as the ultimate three phases absorb simply over 160km every and flatter terrain for bunch finishes.
For Craddock, it’s time to evaluate his health and assist his teammates once more.
“Most of my program relies round being round guys who can win races. I am at a degree in my profession the place that is sort of what’s vital to me, and what drives me. I wish to be part of success,” Craddock mentioned.
“I am on a crew that has riders that may win huge races, so my aims are fairly easy this yr – simply be dependable and be constant all through all the spring, after which hopefully be there for a few stage wins through the Tour.”
Of his 10 begins in Grand Excursions over his profession up to now, Craddock landed on the rostrum on stage 11 of the 2019 Vuelta, having survived within the breakaway for the 180km stage solely to fade within the closing dash. Simply the day earlier than he was fourth within the ITT to Pau. On the Vuelta in 2021 and 2022, he carried the stars-and-stripes jersey to a pair of ITT prime 10 stage finishes as US Professional nationwide champion. Final yr he was fourth on stage 15 on the Tour de France to Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc.
“For certain, the Tour is a particular breed. It is the one race that everybody actually needs to be at as a result of it is the one race in our sport that everybody on this planet is aware of about. We had an amazing Tour final yr. We did not get the stage the place we needed however we had Simon [Yates] fourth total. It is a huge goal for me once more,” he mentioned.
“Clearly, there is perhaps a day right here or there the place I can get in a breakaway and go for a outcome, just like the Tour final yr. However total, I believe my program is simply being round guys that may win races.”
There’s an extended method to go earlier than Craddock can take into consideration the Tour. At current, he’s pleased to be on a crew on which he has felt probably the most snug in his profession.
“I am in my third yr throughout the crew and I sort of want I had the chance to hitch the crew earlier. I am in an amazing spot. The crew has plenty of perception in me and plenty of religion in my talents,” Craddock confirmed.
“They’ve additionally given me plenty of causes to consider in myself. In order that’s been actually huge. And that did not essentially exist previously. So I am very pleased. They’re a bit extra relaxed, a bit extra enjoyable. That’s how they current themselves to the surface, and that’s precisely how they do issues from the within too.”
