25/10/2023

"My generation were boosted off of the back of ‘the Lance effect’" - Larry Warbasse delighted by resurgence of US cycling

US cycling looks set for a new boom period if the signs are to be believed. The recent Vuelta a Espana victory of Sepp Kuss is undoubtedly the strongest sign yet, and as AG2R Citroën Team's Larry Warbasse explains, further growth is seemingly inevitable.

"I guess my generation were boosted off of the back of ‘the Lance effect’," the 33-year-old tells Write Bike Repeat, referencing Lance Armstrong's era of dominance that brought the Tour de France especially to national prominence in the United States, before his infamous downfall left the sport tainted for many.

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"He brought so much attention and interest into cycling and I think how strong that generation of Americans was got a lot of us young kids who are now my age into cycling," Warbasse recalls. "But then there was definitely a low moment for a while where there weren't really that many Americans turning pro."

Thankfully though, cycling seems to be recovering and as mentioned, looks set for a modern boom period. "Now we have so many good young guys, and it's hard to say where that came from. But it's good to see because the US National Team is getting ramped up again, because it was, I think, short on funding for a couple years and and now they're coming back over to Europe a lot and doing a lot of trips, so that's great," he explains. "I don't really know why there was a down period, and then where the new generation came from, but I'm glad to see it."

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Sepp Kuss, as a Grand Tour winner is seen as the man who can lead US cycling into the next generation and Warbasse is quick to express his delight at the Jumbo-Visma rider's recent successes.

"He deserves to be the star that he is. And I think it almost goes a bit unnoticed sometimes in the US and he's such an amazing athlete and rider," says Warbasse. "So I hope that he gets the recognition and attention that he deserves in the States because to do what he did is just really incredible."