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Deuel s ascent of Haleakala. Photo: Courtesy Drake Deuel
Drake Deuel has quite the resume: at 22 years old, he’s a Harvard graduate, a software engineer, an elite rower, and one of the fastest guys on Strava.
In 2021, Deuel has taken his Strava exploits to the next level, going after some of the most famed climbs in cycling. With no racing on the horizon and six months before the start of his post-collegiate career, Deuel set his sights on some of the biggest Strava KOMs around.
It may not be Alpe d’Eze, Mont Ventoux, the Poggio, or the Oude Kwaremont; but Haleakala is one of the toughest climbs in cycling. The European cols hold their old place in history, marked by decades of racing, crashes, and triumphs. But there are other climbs famous for their profile alone.
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Brandon McNulty is the first American to lead a WorldTour stage race since Tejay van Garderen in the 2019 Tour of California. Photo: David Ramos/Getty Images
23-year-old American Brandon McNulty announced himself to the world on Stage 4 of the 2021 Itzulia Basque Country. Avid cycling fans would have already known the McNulty name thanks to a number of WorldTour podiums and contract with one of the top teams in pro cycling. But his lead-grabbing coup on stage 4 revealed the true depth of his talent and determination.
Stage 1 – 13.9km individual time trial
Stage 1 was but a preview of what was to come. In the 13.9 km ITT around Bilbao, riders flogged themselves up the opening climb at 500w, before bombing down the false flat descent, and back into town for a 13 percent climb to the finish. Time trials have always been one of McNulty’s specialties, but on this day, he reached another level.