U.S. Olympian Lawson Craddock said he will miss the world road cycling championships that start Sunday because his visa wasn’t approved until about 20 minutes after his flight departed for Australia without him on it.
“While it still would have been physically possible to make it in time to Australia for the TT tomorrow [Sunday’s time trial], I wasn’t confident that it would allow me enough time to recover enough from the Vuelta, travel, and jet lag to allow me to put my best performance out on the road,” he posted on social media.
Craddock, 30, competed at the Tokyo Olympics in the time trial (34th place) and road race (80th). The U.S. earned zero road cycling medals for the first time since 1996. He finished 55th in the three-week Vuelta a Espana Grand Tour that ended last Sunday.
His withdrawal leaves Leah Thomas as the lone cyclist on the U.S. roster for worlds who has Olympic experience. Neilson Powless, who nearly held the lead early in July’s Tour de France, is also on the team.
The U.S. earned zero medals among the men’s and women’s elite time trials and road races at the last two worlds.
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