18-year-old American will stagiaire with Etixx-QuickStep later this summer
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Adrien Costa (United States Of America)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Lachlan Morton (Jelly Belly) drives the pace up Mt Nebo ahead of Adrien Costa and Andrew Talansky(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Adrien Costa (United States Of America)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Silver second year in a row for Costa (United States Of America)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Germany's Appelt flanked by the Americans Costa and McNulty(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Adrien Costa (Axeon Hagens Berman) is continuing tot build his reputation as a huge talent this week at the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah. The 18-year-old, who turns 19 later this month, finished second Wednesday during the difficult stage over Mt. Nebo.
Costa finished behind Lachlan Morton (Jelly Belly-Maxxis) and ahead of Andrew Talansky (Cannondale-Drapac) after the trio escaped on the lower slopes of the climb. Costa helped power the move over the nearly 3,000 metres ascent and then beat Talansky to the line after Morton successfully attacked inside the final two kilometres.
"Honestly, I wasn't expecting to be climbing with these guys," he said on the press conference dais, where he sat next to Morton and Talansky. "I think that kind of helps, though, because you get pretty excited and the suffering kind of eases a little bit. It was really fun. I might have done too much work at the beginning because at the end I suffered a little bit."
This week's 2.HC race in Utah is the highest ranked event Costa has ridden, and he's trying to soak up as much experience as he can while racing against the WorldTour and Pro Continental competition.
"I really am learning and hopefully getting stronger," he said. "It's amazing to have the opportunity to race at this level."
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Growing up in Missoula, Montana, Pat competed in his first bike race in 1985 at Flathead Lake. He studied English and journalism at the University of Oregon and has covered North American cycling extensively since 2009, as well as racing and teams in Europe and South America. Pat currently lives in the US outside of Portland, Oregon, with his imaginary dog Rusty.
