Euser, Cozza, US Pro roadLucas Euser, Steven Cozza and Danny Pate (hidden) drive the breakaway during the US Pro national road championships in Greenville, South Carolina.

When this team began five years ago, one goal was to be in the Tour de France. The next goal was to make new American champions. Young talent was recruited throughout the US and thrown to the wolves; those that could hack it survived. Sunday at the US Pro national road championships that young talent crossed the threshold into the next generation of American cycling.

Everyone on the team rode an incredible race. We did exactly what we wanted to and it was just a bad twist of fate or an unlucky gust of wind that caused us to lose the jersey. It’s unfortunate and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed. But this is not the last you will see of us. We have put our blood, sweat and tears into this sport the past couple of years in an accelerated program to get our bodies and minds tough enough to handle the rigors of the European peloton. This is the new beginning.

I have never seen anything like I did Sunday with everyone stepping it up to the next level. I have never been in that position before, fighting for the win all the way to line. The race was in our control, we had that jersey wrapped up, it was ours. But just like every other day, sometimes life throws us curve balls. With two small laps to go, the man we were working for came to us and told us he was cramping and had nothing left. We were forced to make on the spot decisions and play a more risky role in trying to win the race. We took a risk. Who knows what would have happened if we didn’t. But how are we supposed to make it to the next level if we don’t make any mistakes?

Please don’t look at this as a failure; look at this as the next generation of American cycling making the mistakes that will take them to the big victories over the next decade to come. Victories that will inspire, motivate and restore the passion that cycling was founded on. We ride for you, our fans. We ride for your entertainment, fueling the fire that drives you to be a better athlete and a better person. We ride to win, but in order to do that we first have to lose.

If you need to take something positive out of yesterday, take the fact that the next generation is here and we aren’t going to go away for a long time. Take pleasure in knowing what is on the horizon.