All in the Family: Garmin's Peter Stetina Following in Father's Footsteps, Huge Talent for the Future

Garmin-Holowesko Partners-Felt's Peter Stetina is for real. At only 21 years old, the promising American is making big waves thus far in 2009, and is currently battling Levi Leipheimer for the overall classification at the Tour of the Gila. Stetina has followed in the footsteps of his father and uncle, and is fast becoming a rider to notice at every race that he enters. Although still relatively unknown by the cycling masses, Stetina will soon be front and center on the American cycling scene. Always humble and capable of taking care of himself, Stetina seems a shining example of everything that is right about the new guard of pro cycling.

Peter Stetina comes from a cycling rich family, as both his father and uncle, Dale and Wayne respectively, were successful domestic professionals back in the 80's. Peter though looks as though he may have the tools to eclipse his familial elders, and within a few years he should find himself racing among the best in the world over in Europe. At only 140 lbs Stetina is made for climbing. His affiliation with the Slipstream team will do him well, as team head Jonathan Vaughters loves to help young American riders become top-flight International athletes.

Although Stetina doesn't have a ton of big results as a professional, he nevertheless is one of the most promising young American riders in the peloton today. In combining the lessons he learns from his family alongside those he absorbs from the Slipstream team, Stetina will someday soon be in line to dominate the domestic road cycling scene. And the scariest part about Stetina is that he is not just a climber. He can time trial too, which bodes well for his hopes as a possible GC stage race threat of the future.

As he continues to race throughout America and the world this season, look for Stetina to increase his palmares and skill set with an eye on garnering some serious individual results in 2010. A call up to the Garmin team is imminent, and if not he'll likely look elsewhere for a contract. Not likely though that Vaughters will let such a huge talent get away. The only problem for Stetina may be finding his place within a team that is absolutely stacked with young talent. At this stage in his now budding career, it is hard to believe that Stetina almost went into 2009 without a contract. That won;t be a problem for him going forward though, as his potential will put him in high demand for the foreseeable future.