Next Lance Armstrong -- step up, Taylor Phinney

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While Lance Armstrong has returned home after his 12th-place finish in the Giro d’Italia to await the birth of his fourth child and continue preparing for the start of the Tour de France on July 4, one of his proteges on his under-23 team had a groundbreaking performance Sunday.

Taylor Phinney, son of former Olympians Davis Phinney and Connie Carpenter-Phinney, became the first American to win the Under 23 Paris-Roubaix race Sunday. Phinney said it was a lifelong dream to win the race, and his win was big news in the cycling world.

Taylor rides for Armstrong’s Trek-Livestrong Under 23 team.

-- Diane Pucin