Garmin-Cervelo rider finished as highest English-speaking racer in 22nd place
Talented young American rider Peter Stetina had a very solid first Grand Tour with the Giro d’Italia. He ended the three-week course in 22nd place, 50 minutes 9 seconds behind winner Alberto Contador. He was also third in the young rider’s competition, showing that he has a bright future ahead of him.
His ranking was not a real surprise to him. “I am happy with it. We thought I was capable of doing a top 20 beforehand,” he told VeloNation just before the final TT in the race. He just missed out on that target, losing some time in the first week. “If I hadn’t relaxed and enjoyed the first week, I would definitely be there,” he said, but remains satisfied with what he achieved. “Twenty-second – I am stoked and I am pumped with it,” he says. That’s even more the case when he is told he’s the highest-ranked Anglophone. “Oh boy, it’s on now. Bragging rights,” he laughed.
Despite losing time in the first week, the toughest day came on stage 19. “Macugnaga was my worst day. I talked with my roommate Cam [Cameron Meyer] about this – our worst days, our best day, the one we could redo.” The day started out well, but things turned bad. “I went for the break early, we were in that move that was rolling. One or two teams decided it wasn’t good enough. I paid the price later on, when I went real deep and I pulled energy out of every follicle of my hair on my body. There was also the rain and the crashes – it was a hard day.”
However Stetina does think it was the right decision to go for it. “You have to race, though – I had to try to go for the breakaway. If we would have stayed away until the uphill finish, that’s a stage win,” he said, the statement reflecting his confidence in his climbing abilities. “I’d rather take a stage win than protect 20th in GC.”
Stetina looks on the bright side of things, though. “That’s racing, that’s how it goes. I’ll come back stronger. I survived and I came back strong yesterday [on the stage to Sestriere], so that’s a good sign.”
The experience of his first three-week race was something in itself. “I loved it – the whole circus around the Giro and the people, the fans, the insanity.” It was also a good place to be for gourmands. “There was great food. I am proud that I didn’t actually gain or lose weight in the race.” The youngster has a very refreshing attitude. “Everyone says it is so hard to eat in the final week. but I am still pounding down Tostadas like it’s nobody’s business. I like food – a lot,” he said with a smile.
When giving his interview, Stetina knew that there was not much he could do to move in the general classification. “The guy in front of me is six and a half minutes ahead and the guý behind is six and a half minutes behind,” he said. “Doesn’t really matter what I do – just don’t get time-cut. I want to try hard, because it is the last day. I want to rip myself down as much as possible, so I come back stronger – that is the whole process of the first Grand Tour.”
