American Riders Can’t Stop Winning in Europe — Riley Sheehan Is the Latest

Riley Sheehan is the latest in a new generation of American riders hitting the top step of the podium in Europe.

Sheehan sprinted to victory Thursday at the Circuit de Wallonie for his first win since his breakout triumph at Paris-Tours in 2023.

The 25-year-old powered uphill from a reduced group in Charleroi to finally end a two-year drought since his stunning neo-pro win at the French classic.

“In the final, I just had to follow the wheels and, in the final corner, I just had to press on the pedals as hard as I could. It was a perfect job by the team to set me up, so at the finish, I could just do what I can do.”

The win is the eighth by an American in Europe this season, and the biggest races are still to come.

On Thursday, Sheehan was backed throughout the rolling 196.1km Belgian one-day race by six NSN Devo Team riders who controlled the race with calm authority and delivered him to selective finale.

“It was a hard final, with Q36.5 doing crazy attacks, full gas, but my team stayed so calm, and the guys rode so well,” Sheehan said. “There was full gas support for me today.”

He admitted the ghost of last year’s Deutschland Tour — where a premature celebration in stage 2 cost him the win— was still in his head at the line.

“I felt pretty confident once I knew I was coming out of the corner [in first],” he said on the team website. “But you never know, though, because you always feel like there’s somebody coming up who is going to come around you.

“I think since the Deutschland Tour last year, when I posted up too early, I’m paranoid. I just had to give everything I could there. Thankfully, this time, it was all worth it.”

New generation of US riders is winning in Europe

Sheehan’s victory at the Circuit de Wallonie adds his name to a growing list of a new generation of American men winning races in Europe in 2026.

The win is the latest in what’s quietly become a strong season for breakout results across Europe, with victories ranging from WorldTour stages to overall stage-race titles.

Despite strong results, including a historical fifth at Paris-Roubaix Femmes with Megan Jastrab, no American women have won yet on European roads in 2026.

Teen talent Andrew August opened the American account in February by winning stage 3 of the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana before backing it up with another breakthrough victory in April at the Itzulia Basque Country.

Matthew Riccitello has been among the most successful Americans so far this season.

Hot off his top 5 at the 2025 Vuelta a España, the Arizona climber won a stage and the overall title at the Tour de la Provence in February before adding another victory at the Jura Classic in April.

Luke Lamperti delivered one of the biggest U.S. wins of the season by taking stage 1 of Paris-Nice in March, while 18-year-old rising prospect Ashlin Barry won stage 4 of the Olympia’s Tour later that month.

With Sheehan now joining the list, a generation of fresh American riders continue to impress across Europe.

With four U.S. riders in the Giro d’Italia this month, including proven stage-hunter Sepp Kuss, the list could keep growing.