Place 18 - Jesse Sergent

Jesse Sergent

New Zealand

08.07.1988

 

Type of Rider: Time Trialist

Biggest Achievement: -

Team/Club 2010: Trek-Livestrong (23

Stagiaire: Radioshack

Team 2011: Radioshack

Best Mock List Ranking: new

Web: www.facebook.com/jesse.sergent

 

Until now, there are five New Zealanders riding in the Pro Tour. RadioShack raises this count – at least short term – by 40 percent. Beside Clinton Avery also Jesse Sergent can prove himself in the team of Lance Armstrong as a stagiaire.

But let’s begin at the begin. Like nearly every Oceanian rider, Sergent started his career on the track. As early as 2005 he won the Junior World Champion title in the team pursuit on the track. At his side was his future teammate Sam Bewley. 2006 he won the New Zealand title for Junior Time Trial, and also in the single pursuit on the track. At the Oceanian championships he earned three silver medals, amongst them the road time trail, and a gold medal. He won Bronze and Silver at the Junior Track World Championships in Gent.

 

In 2007 the New Zealander concentrated on the track. He took part in the World Cup, 2nd place in the team pursuit at the World Cup in Sydney was the best track result. Two times the pursuit team set a new national record, at the aforementioned meeting and at the Oceanian Championships.

 

In the following year, his nominally second in the Under 23 category, the New Zealander returned to road racing after a one year pause. At the Olympic Games Sergent could nonetheless add a bronze medal in the track team pursuit with Bewley, Roulston and Ryan to his collection.

 

In 2009 he joined the American team Trek-Livestrong Under 23, together with Bewley. There he showed his skills primarily as a time trialist. He placed 7th at the time trial of the Fleche du Sud (2.2), at the Tour de Beauce he was 2nd in this discipline.

 

In the current year breakthrough results finally came. He finished the Olympia’s Tour (2.2) in third place overall, in the prologue that was dominated by Trek-Livestrong he just had to concede victory to Phinney, at the longer time-trial he finished 4th. Paris-Roubaix Espoirs was equally successful for the team. Phinney won, Sergent came in as 13th in a larger pursuit group. In national races in the USA he could win two time trials, amongst them against strong competition in the Tour of Gila.

Since August he races as a stagiaire at Team RadioShack. At his first race, the Post Danmark Rundt (2.HC) he placed an exclamation mark. He finished 8th in the time trial as the best of his team. At the end of August in France the Tour de Poitou Charentes et de la Vienne (2.1) took place. His team was happy to see him time-trial again, finishing 5th when teammate Irizar won.

 

Jesse Sergent really had a breakthrough in his final Under 23 year, especially in time trials; mountains and hills may never be his terrain. Next year we will see him again riding for RadioShack, he has his first pro-contract signed. Watch out for him in time trials. He will try to prove that at the Under 23 World Championships in Australia, where he is one of the big favourites. Five years after New Zealand’s last Under 23 medal by Peter Latham it would be a big success if he could again win a medal at the time trial.

 

nominated by gardener, Offi & ogkempf, written by Offi, translated by bugno