Peter Stetina, Redlands road race VMG/Felt U23 rider Peter Stetina is currently staying with the U23 national team in Belgium as he wraps up his European racing season. The young talent has had a notable spring with significant results in the US and Europe. Peter graciously took some time out of his busy European schedule to answer a few questions for us.

Your season so far has been impressive - 4th GC San Dimas, 10 GC Redlands, 9th U23 Liege and 6th Fleche du Sud. How have you been able to put everything together for such a solid spring?

I am very happy with my spring campaign this season. In past years, I haven’t taken a break in the off-season due to MTB and cross racing. At the end of last season, I was ruined and in dire need of a break. I didn’t even touch my bike in October and started hard in November and was really rested. I have trained harder than ever before because I wanted to come out with guns blazing at San Dimas. I was gearing for a strong spring instead of peaking later in the summer like past seasons.

What’s your proudest moment so far this season - the Liege 9th
Liege was a great result, but I am most happy with my 2nd place in the uphill TT at San Dimas. I really wanted to win becasue it is the perfect course for me. I trained specifically for that with Allen Lim. I lost to Oscar Sevilla by 7 seconds, which stung. If I’m gonna lose to anyone though, he’s not a bad one to choose. But I beat every other domestic pro in a pretty stacked field. I’m proud of it because I showed what I’m capable of to all those who didn’t believe in me after a rough season.

You are in Europe racing now and what is your schedule, your goals?
I have two more races here. Vuelta Tarragona and Ronde de L’Isard. Both are mountainous stage races and suit me perfectly. There’s an uphill TT at Tarragona and I’m very motivated for that. Hopefully some redemption against those Spaniards after San Dimas, ha ha! My goal is to win over here. I know I have the legs and have been very close to winning multiple times already. But something has always gone wrong, whether it’s tactics or a breakaway staying away. The legs are good now and it’s just a matter of time until the rest of the cards fall in place. After Isard, I return home for the summer and the Tour of Pennsylvania.

What are your goals for the U23 Worlds?
I honestly haven’t thought about that at all yet. Worlds is always late in the season, and being such a big one day race, one needs a lot of luck at the right time. But if I’m at the start line, I can promise I’ll fight like a cornered dog until the end.

What do you like about and also miss when racing in Europe?
I like how the racing is always fast over here. In the US, when it goes hard, it’s just as fast, but there’s more lull in between. Here there’s just a higher tempo to it all day long, which I like. I miss home though of course. I like the life I have back in the USA and my friends and family and girlfriend are top notch. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.