They say that finishing a Grand Tour can change you physically, and Lawson Craddock is hoping that his first Grand Tour finish will carry into 2016. Craddock was part of the Giant-Alpecin team that supported Tom Dumoulin when he became a surprise GC contender at the Vuelta a España last season.
The pressure was high on the team but a year after calling it quits on stage 14, Craddock was able to complete his first three-week stage race. The 23-year-old has just embarked on his third season as a professional and is looking to bring his new-found strength into his racing.
“I’ve already noticed a huge difference just in training. You tend to blow the motor in a way that you don’t get anywhere else when you finish a three-week race,” Craddock told Cyclingnews at the Tour de San Luis. “You just push your body to limits and take the next step. That’s what I knew coming into it, that if I was able to finish then I would be able to progress, and make the next step in my career. I was happy to be there all the way to the finish, and I am really looking forward to taking it into this year.”
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Craddock turned professional with Giant-Alpecin in 2014 after showing some promising results the previous season, including top 10 finishes at the Tour of California and the USA Pro Challenge. In his opening season with the since German-registered squad, he reaffirmed that promise when he finished on the podium at the Tour of California. His second year didn’t go as well with a heavy crash at the Tour Down Under, but there were some good signs during the Tour de Pologne.
After completing his apprenticeship as a neo-professional with the Giant-Alpecin team, Craddock has moved onto new pastures with Cannondale Pro Cycling. Craddock had come close to signing for Jonathan Vaughters’ team before but it didn’t come to anything until last year. “I’ve talked with JV a lot of times during contract years before, about possibly joining his programme, but it just never worked out,” said Craddock.
“I was in a contract year with Giant, and I really got to know his programme and saw the team is run really well, especially from living with Nate Brown in Girona. That was good for me to see, and having a look at my career and where it was and what team is going to provide me with the best opportunities to take the next step in my progression. For me, I thought that Cannondale was that team, and I’ve enjoyed it so far.
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