Ty Magner and Joe Lewis impress from day one of the 2013 Tour of Utah

Ty Magner Stage 2 Tour of Utah best young rider

Hincapie Sportswear Development’s Ty Magner sprinted to third and Joe Lewis finished sixth. With just one of six days of racing completed on Tuesday in the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah, the young team had already delivered notable results against more experienced riders in one of the hardest races in the U.S. and claimed the best young rider’s jersey.

But for current U23 U.S. national criterium champion Magner, who recently won the Cascade Cycling Classic criterium, the results were not unexpected.

“Yes, that was all part of the plan,” Magner said about placing high on Stage 1. “We did well at Cascade and just kind of wanted to carry that energy here.”

So far they’ve succeeded. With World Tour’s Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) and Orica-GreenEDGE’s Michael Matthews earning first and second, Magner’s result distinguished Hincapie Devo as the highest placed continental team on the opening stage of the tour.

The team is working for Magner on days that promise sprint finishes. Because the twenty-two year-old from Griffin Georgia makes it look easy, it’s hard to believe Assistant Sports Director Darren Fuller when he says participating in their biggest race of the year “is just a learning experience for the guys.”

But the Australian Lewis would agree in some respects at least. “It’s a little bit hard to keep six guys together without actually hitting the front,” he said, speaking about the Stage 1 finish. “We’re still learning…we got a little bit lost towards the end. I was trying to make my way back up to him [Magner] but by the time I got there it was just time to sprint anyway so I just had a crack.”

Lewis, who won the criterium stage in the 2011 Tour of the Gila in New Mexico, found his way onto Hincapie Devo based on a relationship with Chief Sports Director Thomas Craven. Lewis said Craven distributes the Osymetric chainring that he uses on the bike. Lewis is twenty-four.

The team’s ambitions in Utah stretch beyond its Stage 1 take.

“We’re targeting the circuit race for sure because that should be a sprint and we’ve got to get Ty and Joe [Lewis] to the finish,” Fuller said. “And we’ve got Joey Rosskopf who’s been riding super strong. He’s our GC guy and we’re going to watch out for him…”

Rosskopf, 23 years-old, factored into the team’s Cascade Cycling Classic success, winning the Stage 5 circuit race. He’s over six feet tall and finding the climbing and altitude in Utah somewhat challenging. When asked how he felt yesterday with two stages in the books, he responded with a carefully thought out “OK.” He added, “I think I get a little more sore at altitude, I don’t usually have muscle soreness…It’s a tough race. Even if we don’t do all the climbs fast, it’s still a lot of climbing you have to get over. I’m a big kid so it’s a little hard for me.”

Five of the guys made it to the last of four KOM’s on yesterday’s Stage 2. That set them up for another lead-out for Magner into the final. Magner placed sixth and retained the best young rider’s colours.

The teammates seem to gel together well. As Magner responded to questions for this story yesterday while the team prepared for the start, several guys chipped in to supply their thoughts on the topics. “We’re one person here,” Magner said.

At the end of Stage 2 Magner pulled on the best young rider’s jersey on the presentation stage for a second day. He sat next to stage winner Matthews at the press conference. He appeared to take it all in stride.

Magner described mixing it up with World Tour riders as simply “a great experience.” Not starry-eyed, he’s self-assured. Like he knows he’s where he belongs.

“We’re just taking it day by day,” he said. “In the end it’s just a bike race.”

Tour of Utah Stage 2 jersey holders (l – r) Michael Torckler, Michael Matthews, Ty Magner, Martin Wesemann)